拿什么拯救你,黑莓
????很多人已經(jīng)放棄了黑莓手機(jī)生產(chǎn)商移動(dòng)研究公司(Research in Motion,RIM),理由充分。曾經(jīng)在移動(dòng)商務(wù)通信領(lǐng)域叱咤風(fēng)云的RIM如今已經(jīng)喪失了市場(chǎng)領(lǐng)導(dǎo)地位。 ????上上周,RIM首席執(zhí)行官托斯滕?海因斯宣布的一則消息進(jìn)一步壓低了該股股價(jià)。RIM決定保留過(guò)時(shí)的操作系統(tǒng),計(jì)劃明年一季度推出新的版本。這個(gè)消息毫無(wú)疑問(wèn)地表明,這家公司前途渺茫。 ????事實(shí)上,我建議選擇另一條道路:效法蘋(píng)果(Apple)。2006年,史蒂夫?喬布斯將所有產(chǎn)品線中的IBM PowerPC芯片都換成了英特爾(Intel)半導(dǎo)體。隨后,蘋(píng)果開(kāi)始放手專(zhuān)注于自己最擅長(zhǎng)的領(lǐng)域——整體用戶體驗(yàn)。盡管此類(lèi)傳言多年來(lái)不絕于耳,喬布斯最初的聲明仍然震驚了Mac粉絲。時(shí)至今日,我們知道這一步是多么地有先見(jiàn)之明。重新將重點(diǎn)放在用戶體驗(yàn)上是新蘋(píng)果的開(kāi)始,如今蘋(píng)果已成為世界上最有價(jià)值的公司。 ????RIM完全可以拋棄自身已無(wú)法吸引開(kāi)發(fā)者的軟件平臺(tái),改用谷歌(Google)安卓(Android)系統(tǒng)的同時(shí)保持其獨(dú)特的黑莓(Blackberry)硬件產(chǎn)品線。RIM可以在安卓平臺(tái)上提供商務(wù)版操作系統(tǒng),提升自身的價(jià)值。其中包括與Salesforce.com、甲骨文(Oracle)和SAP等企業(yè)平臺(tái)連接的內(nèi)置式接口。一般安卓手機(jī)更多地裝有消費(fèi)應(yīng)用和多媒體應(yīng)用,而不是出廠自帶的核心商務(wù)應(yīng)用軟件。 ????如果由于某些原因、谷歌不愿與RIM合作,RIM也可以轉(zhuǎn)向微軟(Microsoft),采用其Windows Mobile 操作系統(tǒng)。接下來(lái)的挑戰(zhàn)是Windows Mobile同樣存在應(yīng)用軟件和開(kāi)發(fā)人員不足的問(wèn)題。RIM最好還是與谷歌達(dá)成協(xié)議,打造移動(dòng)商務(wù)平臺(tái)。 ????黑莓用戶普遍喜歡黑莓手機(jī)的構(gòu)成和鍵盤(pán)。很多人發(fā)現(xiàn)很難改用虛擬鍵盤(pán),寧愿繼續(xù)使用他們“頂呱呱的黑莓”。通過(guò)提供現(xiàn)代的操作系統(tǒng)和商業(yè)應(yīng)用軟件,海因斯先生既可以滿足用戶需求,也能讓用戶更愿意留下來(lái)。RIM已打造了一個(gè)全球性的快速網(wǎng)絡(luò),其安全性對(duì)于企業(yè)用戶具有極大的價(jià)值。但是,除非它能很快推出一個(gè)平臺(tái)得到開(kāi)發(fā)人員的有力支持,否則這個(gè)全球網(wǎng)絡(luò)必將消亡。 ????五年前充滿希望地起用黑莓手機(jī)的財(cái)富500強(qiáng)首席科技官,如今面對(duì)的是憤怒的用戶希望得到前沿的商業(yè)應(yīng)用軟件。如果RIM改用安卓系統(tǒng),就能留住龐大的公司用戶群體。但這些首席科技官們不會(huì)等到明年。我和很多首席科技官們聊過(guò),有些早已在實(shí)施黑莓退出計(jì)劃。RIM的困境持續(xù)只會(huì)讓過(guò)時(shí)的趨勢(shì)真的成為過(guò)時(shí)。 ????RIM只有幾個(gè)月的時(shí)間來(lái)調(diào)整方向。如果向史蒂夫?喬布斯學(xué)習(xí),今秋就能拿出一款升級(jí)手機(jī)。否則,在這個(gè)RIM共同打造的市場(chǎng)中,它或許會(huì)面臨被邊緣化的窘境,最后只剩一家圓周理論物理研究所(Perimeter Institute)。 ????Jack Hidary是一位初創(chuàng)企業(yè)投資者,Dice.com的共同創(chuàng)始人和前首席執(zhí)行官。 ????譯者:早稻米 |
????Many have given up on Research in Motion -- with good reason. The company has ceded its leadership in a space it once dominated. ????Last week RIM's (RIMM) CEO Thorsten Heins depressed the stock further by announcing that the company will stick to its outdated operating system and come out with its next iteration in the first quarter of next year. This -- without question -- will doom the company to failure. ????Instead I suggest a different approach: pull a reverse Apple (AAPL). In 2006, Steve Jobs swapped out the proprietary PowerPC (IBM) chips for Intel (INTC) semiconductors across its product line. Apple was then free to focus on what it does best -- total user experience. Though a rumored possibility on and off for years, Jobs' initial announcement shocked Mac fans. We can now see how prescient a move it really was. Refocusing on user experience was the beginning of the new Apple that has come to be the most valued company in the world. ????RIM can easily jettison its software platform, which has failed to attract developers, and license Google's (GOOG) Android while keeping its unique line of Blackberry hardware. RIM can add value on the Android platform by delivering a business version of the OS. This would include built-in hooks for Salesforce.com (CRM), Oracle (ORCL), SAP (SAP) and other enterprise platforms. The typical Android phone is geared more for consumer applications and multimedia rather than hard-core business apps out-of-the box. ????If for some reason, Google will not play ball with RIM, the company can turn to Microsoft (MSFT) and license its mobile Windows OS. The challenge then will be the paucity of apps and developers on that platform as well. But RIM is better off cutting a deal with Google and creating a mobile business platform. ????Blackberry users love the form factor and keyboard of their devices. Many find it hard to use a virtual keyboard and would rather stick with their "crack berries." Mr. Heins can give them what they want with a modern OS and the biz apps that will make it easy to stay with Blackberry. RIM has built a fast global network whose security offers a lot of value to enterprise users. However, unless it rolls out a platform soon that has strong developer support this network will disappear. ????Fortune 500 CTOs who adopted Blackberry with such gusto five years ago are now facing angry users who want cutting-edge business apps. If RIM jumps to Android they can keep their strong corporate user base. But these same CTOs will not wait until next year. I have spoken a number of CTO's who are already implementing their Blackberry exit plans. RIM's continued woes are only likely to make an anecdotal trend an actual one. ????RIM has only a few months to change course. If they take a page from the book of Steve Jobs they can come out with an updated device this fall. Otherwise, RIM might as well fold into its Perimeter Institute because that is exactly where it will end up -- on the outskirts of the very market the firm helped create. ????Jack Hidary is a startup investor and co-founder and former CEO of Dice.com (DHX). Send Jack comments @jackhidary. |