By VANDA DOBRITOIU
The iPhone versus BlackBerry debate is coming to an end, as Research In Motion is slowly sinking.
RIM seems to be the hot topic in every newspaper and on every social media website.
While they once did Waterloo proud with their groundbreaking technology and fresh take on gadgets, lately the worldwide company is having trouble coming up with new ideas — or any ideas.
On the flip side, Apple is booming and their newest phone, the iPhone 5, is eagerly anticipated.
Even walking through the hallways at school or down the street the iPhone to BlackBerry user ratio is heavily one-sided.
After Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis stepped down from their co-chief executive officers positions, everyone hoped for some improvements within the company.
Needless to say, those improvements didn’t happen. Balsillie also recently resigned from the board of directors, leaving the company behind completely. Balsille is considered a hero in our community and was the face of RIM.
While RIM was once the top job provider in Waterloo Region, now people are skeptical of its survival.
With numerous devices for the same operating system, the demand is just not high enough. And with the economical state of the country, especially with the high unemployment rates and gas price hikes, people are saving every penny rather than spending their money on new devices.
The fact that RIM now allows their employees to use other operating systems at work, such as an iPhone or android, makes it clear that even though they say “they support the other companies,” what they’re really saying is “we’re failing.”
Everyone knew it was rocky when RIM had their first round of layoffs last summer.
Since then the company has continued to be under siege. It will take a Herculean effort and some great innovators to save RIM from ruin.
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