Recent product launches aimed at bolstering sales have been disappointing. Its BlackBerry Torch, RIM’s first device with a touch screen and a slide-out keyboard, hasn’t been a blockbuster as hoped. And the long-awaited PlayBook tablet launched after a delay, to tepid reviews, earlier this month. RIM has struggled to react quickly to changes in consumer preferences, especially after Apple unveiled its iPhone, with its snazzy touch-screen interfaces and a bevy of third-party applications.
Analysts also expect a series of new touch-screen BlackBerrys in coming months, including another fresh iteration of the Torch; a touch-screen-only BlackBerry to replaces the flawed Blackberry Storm; and new versions of RIM’s mainstay BlackBerry Curve. Several new versions of the PlayBook are already planned this year, raising concerns that RIM is stretching itself too thin. While some RIM watchers have applauded the improvements, some also say they merely put RIM on par with other smartphones, which have long been available.
