Innovation and New Product Development Case Study

Blackberry's New Models: A 'Smart' Move to Sustain Market Position?

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Abstract:
Research in Motion, a leading Canadian manufacturer of wireless devices, offered a number of hardware, software products and services geared toward wireless data access. In 1991, RIM pioneered the smartphone market with the launch of its most successful Blackberry, a smartphone with email access. The company rose to fame for offering enterprise customers access to their corporate email using their Blackberry devices. The device provided customers with greater mobility. It expanded the Blackberry portfolio worldwide with great success in the US. However, rivals like Apple, Palm, and Nokia, who launched an array of smartphones in the market, threatened its dominance. In order to sustain its market position, in 2008, RIM launched three new Blackberry models designed to attract customers. The case discusses RIM's global success with the Blackberry, its rivals in the smartphone market and its subsequent launch of three new Blackberry models to protect its market value.

Pedagogical Objectives:

• To analyse RIM's successful smartphone - Blackberry and its features.
• To analyse the products offered by RIM's rivals.
• To discuss RIM's launch of the new smartphones.
• To analyse its success as compared to rivals' products.

Keywords :  Research in Motion, a leading Canadian manufacturer of wireless devices, offered a number of hardware, software products and services geared toward wireless data access. In 1991, RIM pioneered the sma...