back to article RIM cuts PlayBook sales forecast, report says

BlackBerry maker RIM is reported to have slashed its sales forecast for the PlayBook by well over one million units a week after it launched in the UK. The tablet, RIM's pitch against the dominance of Apple's shiny slate, arrived in the US consumer channels during Q1 with around 500,000 shipped, below expectations, and reports …

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  1. Chad H.
    Mushroom

    So

    Thats another ipad "Killer" down.

    Next.

  2. SuccessCase

    It's worse

    Cult-of-Mac Have reported the reason for the blackberry bridge constraint and lack of native email app is because a single Blackberry email account can't be run on two devices simultaneously. This is apparently a backend constraint of a now aging email service. The end to end email system needs an overhaul to resolve the constraint and it is a big ongoing project. So the upshot is it seems there will be no native email app for some time. This is a huge constraint on sales. Currently Playbook is a fail for non Blackberry owners. Google mail using students and non-corporate webmail using business users might be able to get by, but not business users who need Exchange integration. RIM have really got to up their game.

    1. optimusfisher
      FAIL

      Ermm..

      Even if Cult-Of-Mac (really sounds like a non bias source) was correct your post still doesn't add up to common sense. Your calling the playbook a failure for not having email integration for business users through blackberry enterprise server. If someone is a business user working for a business with blackberry enterprise server they are going to have a blackberry. That means they can do bridge and have native email, problem solved.

      1. jai

        but who wants to do the bridge?

        who really is going to want to have to use two devices at once? you'll just do your email on the blackberry. an so, why bother getting a playbook? why not get another tablet instead. or a netbook? having a native email solution on the playbook makes it a worthwhile device. without it, it's just something else to carry around from meeting to meeting

      2. SuccessCase

        It is, of course, a biased source

        However, having said that, they have a very good reputation for sound reporting. Despite the name they are a lot more analytical and objective than many alternative sites (no names mentioned).

        You are correct in your analysis as far as it goes, but the problem is, due to this limitation RIM have not created a native email client, which means there is no email client with direct IMAP or exchange users for non Blackberry enterprise server customers. So essentially through pride (e.g. not wanting to create a standalone app that *only* supports non Blackberry enterprise server interfaces), they are shooting themselves in the foot.

        So the options are:

        1. Make a native app which doesn't support your flagship product but which ensures your tablet has widest appeal to the general non-Blackberry using market

        2. Take the Blackberry bridge only approach, but massively limit your market.

        I think, as painful as it may be for them, the Tablet market has such great potential and is so important for RIM to stay in the game and expand into new markets they should have taken option 1. However I can also understand why they won't. It's a big ask and would generate negative publicity for their flagship product. Vested interests within the company are tightly bound to the email product it would be difficult if not impossible to do. Also in many ways the negative publicity would be unfair. The constraint has turned out to be a nasty one, but the product is terms of it's original use case is highly competent and successful.

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Down

    It's because...

    ...They engineered a tablet like a mobile phone.

  4. Ascylto
    Big Brother

    23456

    RIM = RIP

    Their CEO didn't do himself any favours on telly. "It's not fair" cried he ... so what's new?

  5. Jean-Paul

    why are they so stubborn

    I really don't get RIM, they've got huge resources and for many years now they still haven't been able to establish something as simple as an implementation of the IMAP protocol for mail.

    For a not so large business, let alone consumers, having your own MS Exchange and BES infrastructure just doesn't make any sense. Yet many would like our own email provider and keep our email in sync across our mobile phones, tablets, laptops and desktops. Yet with the company that is renowned for being the ultimate email device you cannot do that.

    Not on their phones, and now the tablet only works if it is in bluetooth proximity to basically explode what's on the screen of the phone.

    What planet do they live on, this should really have been the ultimate corporate gadget. But hey if I have to carry two devices into every single room I go into to make it work that is just daft. Also I wonder how many corporate blackberrys are actually 3G devices. Browsing will be stupidly slow on that thing. I still see lots and lots of people with their pearls, hmm software version is too old to support bridge they can't do it either.

    Come on RIM get off your lazy backside, and implement some native IMAP two way synching in addition to your BES/BIS integration and you may open up a lot of other markets.

  6. Scott Mckenzie

    But....

    ...you can view Flash on it, surely it's a winner?

  7. AJ 1
    Thumb Up

    Not bad at all

    Personally I think the bridge functionality is great step forward …. What the haters are calling a fail is actually the reason I like it. Why would I want to download the same content on both my phone and my tablet or for that matter take out a separate data plan on both??

    To Jai and all the fruit fanboys out there complaining about having to carry two devices …. Try giving your pockets a pat down and figuring out exactly how far away you are ever going to be from this “second device” that you need. Yes RIM have limited the market in this first release but when paired with a BB this really is a great device.

    1. Scott Mckenzie

      It's not a bad system...

      ....but it's a hell of a market limiting one. And as such I can see why they reduced the sales forecast.

      It looks like a pretty smart device, but i think i'll be sticking with my iPad 2.

    2. RichyS
      Mushroom

      You and?

      The problem is, it's you and almost no-one else who likes the Bridge.

      RIM are in free-fall now...

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