RIM sells 100 millionth BlackBerry, hints at two more devices in the near future
By Ross Miller 
posted June 24th 2010 7:15PM
posted June 24th 2010 7:15PM
Say what you will about BlackBerrys -- although with the Bold 9800 slider and OS 6, things might be looking up -- Research in Motion is still doing strong in the pocketbooks. The company just released its first fiscal quarter 2011 results with revenue growth of 24 percent year-over-year, and here's the rounded-number kicker: its 11.2 million shipments of smartphones this quarter has raised total shipments to over 100 million BlackBerrys. Quite a feat, but enough chit chat about the past -- what does the future hold? In a conference call pertaining to the fiscal results, RIM alluded to two new devices shipping soon, with one for the summer and one closer to fall. We'd bet a pretty penny one of them is the aforementioned slider, but as for the second? Guess we'll just wait and see.
Love Blackberry and love this slider!! (at least what I've read about it so far!)
I'm sure the one closer to Fall is the Storm 3 refresh.
@MobileNick
This could be the perfect phone.
@treats
It better be the Storm 3. If they were referring to the clam-shell then someone seriously needs to be fired at RIM.
@MobileNick
I'm loving the slider too, but the OS needs serious revamping before it makes any serious headway in the consumer market... And yes I've seen OS6 and it looks like a minor refresh.
@MobileNick
Wow this device is so *yawn* innovative, and their os is so *stretches arms out* modern and yeah...go RIM...
Lol, for real though RIM doesn't have to really do anything to keep up, they have their own niche market and obviously have a LOT of fans. But, as Ballmer said at D8, most RIM users (believe it or not) are just every day average Joes, not enterprise users.
Try this: "This is the perfect phone"
I honestly don't know what they were thinking at RIM making such a device... If THAT is going to be one of their TWO devices they have lined up for the near future, goodbye RIM!
@k234 you are obviously not BB fan and owner, this BB brings both hardware keyboard and on screen keyboard together. This is actually really great - for quick SMS use onscreen keyboard, for long emails pull hardware keyboard. I own iPhone and somewhat like it, but I really miss hardware keyboard my old BB had.
@k234
Keyboard. Period.
@k234
You clearly have no idea what you are talking about.
This slider is going to be pretty darn popular for those that are into BBs - and that is mostly businesses that buy them up by the thousands for their employees.
Unfortunately all the pics of this new slider have been with it open (exposing that fantastic BB keyboard). When closed it will look like BB's other touch device. So essentially you get the benefit of BB's legendary keyboards, but with the more fashionable touchscreen that everyone seems to be enthralled with.
Not only if it not "goodbye RIM," but this will probably add to their bottomline.
@Jimbojones um, actualy I am, or at least was, a BB fan, I owned several Bold's.
Keyboard/Slider + Touchscreen = Say Hello to the Palm Pre (In my opinion the best mix out of iPhone and Blackberry), that's how its done!
RIM is resting on their high executive installment base, the software on both old&new bold is horrible, it crashes all the time, I had my BB in the shop dozens of times, and the web-browser simply sucks! The ONLY thing that the BB is good for is e-mail and BB messenger, that's about it!
@k234 I don't want PalmPre much these days, when did they get on screen keyboard? It was not part of initial release
@k234 you have no idea what you are on about at all. this is the new flagship phone from RIM and will be a hit. ever go to an airport lately? notice that 90% of all the phones going through there are blackberrys. some old, some new, these people will be looking for an update real soon. I know i am. Coming from a bold 9000, i looked at plenty of phones, iphone 4, xperia x10, hd2, but i WILL be getting the 9800 bold/torch. as will many many others. like anyone working for rim who is anyone is getting one. i already know my RIM ninja has one on order. you are wrong. RIM is not going anywhere. not for a long time yet.
@Hazdaz You must not want this phone as bad as i do, there are plenty of photos of this phone as well as some videos. they show the phone closed to look like the storm. sexy sexy phone. sooo not looking to wait till August.
@TerrorX Blackberry isn't exclusive like the best smartphones. Anyone can get one, simple as that. It's was the next thing to get if they can't get what they want. Plus some people just don't like change once they get use to it.
@TerrorX When I see you running around the airport with this phone:
http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/25/us-cellular-adds-htc-desire-and-blackberry-bold-in-august-tease/
You know its me when you hear someone laughing out REALLY loud, Eric Cartman style!
Blackberry's two future "flagship" phones look like the worst China-Knockoff's I've seen in my life!
I think RIM deserves some props, 100 million Blackberries sold is quite the accomplishment
@Pojomofo and no major security issues like some other fruit companies
@Pojomofo
It appears the investors are going to be storming Canada as RIM is letting them down big time. It's been determined that the BlackBerry will continue to lose consumer market share thanks to Android. RIM is no longer a powerhouse smartphone vendor. Now they're just fighting to survive. One more smartphone miss and the only person that will be still carrying a BlackBerry will be that dude sitting in the Oval Office.
Post prior to comparisons with other mobile devices pertaining to robots and fruits.
Judging by how many comments are here (0) I'd say BB is not in a good shape and OS 6 looks lame compared to the competition. Whatcha gonna do when Apple or Android go after the business market? Total destruction! They need to catch up and catch up quick dump OS 6 Release OS 7 and why must they make a ugly slider, why not make a regular BB like Tour or Bold with a Touchscreen. Nobody serious about business wants a kiddie slider. Get real BB or Get Out!
@ZLiberator
Hahahahahaha.
Judging by the comments?
RIM's primary market are enterprise-level folk, not tech fanboys who fap over blog posts.
... *facepalms*
Well timed PR announcement....
As more Android/iPhone/Palm devices are adopted into the Enterprise space, Blackberry will pretty much be wiped off the map. They took way too long to innovate, and failed at it anyway.
@Johnny Rockets yeah, this old comment has been out there for years. Wake up. BB is stronger than ever. Even as a phone - their verizon version works on all GSM networks as well (excellent phone, excellent coverage across the globe) with very strong security and great central management.
@Jimbojones
The fact that they're only at 100 million devices now - after how many years and how many devices? is telling. Apple hit 50 million iPhones in less than three years, and that's ONE DEVICE.
Apple isn't going after the enterprise market, and RIM should be thankful for that.
@Jimbojones
And your comment is the same generic comment that displays the sheer denial of blackberry and nokia fans (and to a lesser extent windows mobile fans).
The game has changed folks. RIM knows this but like johnnyrockets said they've been a lil too stale recently and it seems like they're just offering another blackberry.
Nothing really outstanding her to make people want to talk about it.
@BrookLynnsFinest
The fact you posted that shows the sheer ignorance that Apple Fans have when it comes to the business market.
@BrookLynnsFinest can you stop this apple jabajabaa, please. Look at sales for one single year and you will see that BB sells more devices than Apple. Do a research before you respond http://techcrunch.com/2010/02/23/smartphone-iphone-sales-2009-gartner/
@BrookLynnsFinest
Businesses aren't interested in purchasing hardware on a yearly basis. All they're interested in is if the phone can meet their requirements.
These usually don't include if it has a glass back, is open source, has x amount of apps, has a y inch screen, or has a processor clocked at y MHz. It usually comes down to, can the device make calls, and can it send/receive our email.
Just because your average consumer is crazy enough to burn cash for every iteration of certain brand or line of smarphone, is not indicative of the enterprise marketshare.
2009 worldwide
BB 34,346
iPhone 24,889
@worldspawn
What else do you expect from delusional Android Haters BrookLynnsFinest?
@Jimbojones
I didn't even mention Apple.....
But yes they did indeed change the market drastically. If not for Apple there wouldn't be the type of phones we're seeing now. If you deny that then you ares the ones who are clueless and uninformed.
2nd android as much as I hate it has also made its impact.
Its clear that there 2 major forces right now. apple and google. There's not a lot of room to share and I think RIM could end up failing. Same with nokia.
Was just trying to be rational about it. No need to attack me because I'm an Apple Supporter.
@BrookLynnsFinest
You Android Haters are never rational.
Don't hate me because I'm an Android supporter.
@Jimbojones
RIM isn't just selling BlackBerrys, they're giving them away. It's always BOGO (buy one get one). Next year it will be BOGT (buy one get two). They'll move a lot of BlackBerrys for one-third the price. RIM is practically done for financially no matter how many smartphones they give away.
RIM investors have just about given up hope as RIM's share price is dropping almost as quickly as Nokia's market share. Google may have to buy out RIM and stick Android on BlackBerrys.
@MosesusedaniPad yeah and Apple is not giving iPhones for free in Europe.
@BrookLynnsFinest
Again, the one time you don't mention Apple does not make up for every single time you have on every single account you've had. You can't shut up about Apple, it's in your avatar for crying out loud. Just like you can't shut up about the evil Apple hating fandroids, and how everyone is out to get you. You want this to stop? Change your damn act already, it's old and worn out.
@Jack
When RIM introduced the BlackBerry in 1999 it was still young, had very limited capital and basically no reputation in the consumer electronics world. Please don't compare it to a multi-billion dollar company with a huge R&D department and a nearly limitless marketing budget and media coverage, that Apple already were when they introduced the iPhone.
Just look at RIM's fiscal reports and you will see that they just started their rise. Especially after 2007! They are riding right on top of the smartphone wave. RIM still sells more than 60% of all BlackBerrys in North America and just started to gain momentum internationally. They will grow even more rapidly now that they have signed up more carriers in Europe and Asia.
@BrookLynnsFinest That's what I've been trying to explain to people. They love to bring up Apple when a new phone comes up. Why? Because of that very statement you mentioned, there would be no smartphones like the ones we are seeing now if it wasn't for Apple.
@Jack
You are so ignorant. You can't always make a linear extrapolation to compare things. It's a bit more complicated than that, kid.
Signature ignorant comment: "Apple isn't going after the enterprise market, and RIM should be thankful for that."
@Johnny Rockets The iPhone is like a Ferrari; it looks great, has very good performance and gives its owners a certain amount of prestige. But you can't open the hood and even if you could you wouldn't know how to work on anything. And it won't run properly (drops calls, cracks easily if you drop it) if you don't treat it just right.
Android phones are like the hot rod you had in high school. It can out run the stock sports models but you have to spend your weekends tinkering with it. And sometimes that last adjustment you made makes it stall at every stop light.
Then there is Blackberry. Its your old man's mid 60's early 70's innocent looking family car with the huge American V8. It doesn't look pretty like the Ferrari or sound like the hot rod. /But put it on a straight stretch of interstate and it will hold its own against the others. There is a reason why most police drive the last true American car; the Ford Crown Victoria,. It can catch the others or follow them until they break/wreck then push them off the road and still head to the next call. Blackberry is the Crown Victoria of cell phones.
I dont get the slider.. If the screen is touch, why the hell is there a touch pad on it?????
@rifraf The touchpad can be very useful even with a touchscreen. Trying to select small text or a web form can be difficult with your fingertips. The touchpad will let you quickly scroll between em.
@rifraf
For the same reason that almost all Android phones, including the N1 and Incredible, had some kind of pointing device up until the latest round of phones came in.... using a touchpad or trackball is a lot easier to click on small links. And even on larger screens, that is a very smart idea.
I see no good reason for phones like the EVO or X not to have one.
Hey! The BB STILL has a great keyboard and it does e-mail well. I just wish they had better browsers.
Hey ho... More rubbish ahead, who the hell keeps buying their pap...? I find them a true drag to use, a worse interface than a 1996 era nokia and I have never known a line of phones take so long to boot up.... I appreciate thay should stay on, but they take anywhere up to 10-15 mins to boot.... Ridiculous.
Looks great I almost can't believe they are blantly using palms design. This phone kind of puts me in a strang place switching over from blackberry to palm. I'm curious to see the UI as it will have to somewhat mimic the WebOS as it pertains to interface. I suppose it will come down to competing with new applications that take advantage of the latest OS development tools. I believe Palm may have the upper hand as many of the blackberry applications still support prior OS software. Then again the blatant limitations we currently see such as playing certain video formats could hold push users towards the Blackberry. That blackberry keyboard is simply beautiful. The lack of a front facing camera maybe the kicker that holds me back from having the need to switch back over.
the worst part about RIM is their lack of marketing.. They alluded about new phones.. Wow.. go to google.. i think we as the public know more about their leaked devices then 99% of the employees at RIM. They need to wake up and start showing off products before they are released like everyone else. We live in an instant gratification society and i wonder how many new 2 yr contracts were just signed with the iPhone.. None of them are going go look at rim for 2+ years...
The concept of this device is awesome but its been months since videos and pictures have been posted and still RIM denies the phone exists. It leaves us wondering well since they wont say when it comes out and its time for a new phone i guess ill get a new android device or iphone4..
If they keep up the buy one get one offers, they might sell millions more next quarter!