Research in Motion (RIM) has achieved success with the BlackBerry marketing in Indonesia until now. As quoted by AFP (published by The Australians), there are about 5 million subscribers of BlackBerry service (BIS and BES) in Indonesia until 2011. They predict the number will be nearly doubled in 2015, to 9.7 million subscribers. Roughly speaking, the increment is projected to reach nearly 20% per year.
Surely the amount isn’t equal with the number of BlackBerry subscribers in the United States which reached 16.5 million subscribers (this indicates the declining signs); however it still shows the importance of Indonesia for RIM’s business. Mr Gregory Wade, RIM Managing Director for Asia, confirmed that Indonesia is a very important market and they believe that nobody love Indonesia more than RIM.
Indonesia is one of RIM’s many new markets in third world countries. They have lost the momentum in the developed countries, except in England where the platform is still popular among the youngsters. RIM dominates some Asian countries, Latin America and Africa. A variety of affordable products choice with the range between $ 200-300 and BlackBerry Messenger feature that answer the messaging needs makes Blackberry still survive.
Nowadays the variation of Android phones, especially in mid-to-low end class, has pressed BlackBerry mobile market. According to some sources, although BlackBerry still dominates the smartphone segment in Indonesia, but the growth rate is less compared to the Android platform. Would Android eventually be BlackBerry’s rival in Indonesia? In my personal opinion, it depends on the Android “killer feature” or “killer app” that could drive BlackBerry users (or Symbian) to switch.
Challenges
In 2012 is RIM will experience a new challenge. They confirmed that the QNX-based BB 10 platform 10 could only be produced by the end of the year. You can imagine if within a year RIM isn’t able to produce a significant development, market would have gone further and eroded by the IOS or Android platform. Moreover, this year Nokia and Microsoft will also try to hit market with their Windows Phone. As addition, RIM also should still have to face the demands from several numbers of countries relating to the open feasibility of “encrypted BlackBerry system” for the government’s needs.
This is a red alert for RIM’s management which seems too late to notice. The actions such as RIM CEO salary cutting to USD 1 per year and the replacement of Chairman of the Board may be in vain if no brilliant move taken. In the latest few years RIM shares value has decreased up to 75% and it is not difficult to end it in 2012 if there’s no positive development. I’m just afraid if there is no significant development; RIM is going to fade away in 2015. Would RIM be ready to change aligned with time changing and to achieve their goals?