Balls Out: RIM Ex Co-CEO Bails Before 4Q Fiscal 2012 Earnings Announcement

(Photo via wallpapersgalaxy.com)

So much for the Captain going down with the ship. In true Schettino fashion, Balsillie retired from the company he helped to create as it continues to experience its fall from grace. Additionally, Newly minted CEO Heins cleaned up his shop, so we can all say goodbye to the current CTO and COO along with a handful of SVPs and VPs. Keeping with this theme, RIM bid adieu to their profits in the 4th quarter to the tune of a 125 million dollar loss. All in all, a shitty start for Heins who inherited a mess.

Everything comes down to BlackBerry 10, which is slated to hit the market later in 2012. So we're looking at 3 quarters of stale products before the next gen phone comes out (BTW RIM shipped 21% less Blackberrys in the last quarter of their fiscal year. Not good.). I really hope that any new phones they release between now and then will be compatible with the new OS (we all know this is not gonna happen).

RIM is betting the Waterloo on BB 10 and it better pay off. Or else you might buy your Samsung BlackBerry very soon.

-Paqman

Update - Do Or Die For The Blackberry Playbook: OS 2.0 Features and Release Date

UPDATE: OS 2.0 is available now! Go to settings (cog wheel in top right corner) on your Playbook, select Software Updates and press Check for Updates. The update will appear and should be about 400 MBs.

(Photo via mobilesyrup.com)

Word on the street is that the Blackberry Playbook OS upgrade to 2.0 is coming February 21st at 4:01 a.m. For those of you that own the device (I know I'm not the only one), this is welcome news as a truckload of new features are to be included. This will be newly minted CEO Thorsten Heins first major play and he will need to deliver this new software by the end of February at the latest or face the wrath of every media outlet, Blackberry nation included. As we patiently await its availability, here are the new bells and whistle that will bring the Playbook to the next level (hopefully).

From the RIM press release for OS 2.0:

Meet The New Boss, Same As The Old Boss(es)?: RIM Shakes Up Leadership Structure

RIM's newly appointed CEO Thorsten Heins (Photo via rim.com)

After months of speculation and pressure from investors, RIM has shuffled the top of the hill as former COO Thorsten Heins takes over as President and CEO. Gone is the ridiculous co-CEO structure as Balsillie and Lazaridis are now Board members. This is great news for RIM as they now have stability and fresh blood in the driver's seat.

According to what I've gathered, Heins will focus on marketing RIM's line of Blackberry products, OS 7.1, the Playbook and BB 10, and delivering a proper consumer experience with clear communications. RIM's fall from grace is due to their inability to recognise changes in the market (come on y'all, you couldn't create a SWOT analysis and action it??) as Apple and Google swooped in to take their market share with friendlier, stable handsets. Heins will need to be aware of these changes or will not be around long enough for anyone to remember his name.

I wish Heins all the best as he takes the reigns of a company in flux. If he can focus on setting reasonable expectations and delivering on them, RIM will be in a very good position in the market. If he doesn't, it will be more "same old, same old" as consumer confidence will continue to plunge. Heins' first order of business will be to ensure that OS 2.0 for the Playbook is released by the end of February. If he doesn't deliver on this, he will have some rough times ahead.

-Paqman