الرئيسية
TORONTO (Reuters) - A critical delay in Research in Motion's next
generation of BlackBerry smartphones sent RIM shares on yet another
downward spiral on Friday and pushed some analysts to sound the death
knell for the mobile device that once defined the industry.
RIM's announcement late Thursday that it expected to launch
smartphones powered by its new QNX operating system months after
initially expected revived calls for sweeping changes in RIM's
management led by co-CEOs Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie.
The delay, combined with a dismal performance outlook issued along
with its quarterly results, sparked renewed chatter about the break-up
of the Canadian tech giant, which has floundered as Apple Inc and other
nimbler competitors claw away at its market share.
"RIM confirmed the BlackBerry 10 smartphones will be delayed until
the latter part of calendar 2012. This could be game over for the
BlackBerry franchise," analysts at Canadian brokerage National Bank
Financial wrote in a note to clients. BlackBerry 10 is the name the
company has given to the QNX phones, which RIM had initially expected to
deliver in the first quarter.
On Friday, the delay spurred several brokerage firms to cut their
price targets and ratings on RIM shares and sent the Waterloo,
Ontario-based company's shares tumbling more than 12 percent in early
trading on Friday.
"We see a high risk that this is too late to turn around RIM's
position and believe the risk of further delays is meaningful," Nomura
analyst Stuart Jeffrey said in a research note. "Even in the best case,
however, it seems unlikely RIM will have large volumes of its BB10
devices on sale within 15 months."
RIM has been counting on the new QNX operating system to make up
ground lost to Apple Inc's iPhone and iPad and the slew of devices that
use Google Inc's Android software. The delay portends another long-year
of transition for RIM, allowing rivals to make further in-roads into
RIM's market share.
RIM on Thursday also provided a gloomy outlook for earning as sales
of an interim line of legacy BlackBerry 7 smartphones lag during the
crucial holiday season. Even if shipments hit the high-end of RIM's
expectations during Christmas, the company will still post the first
annual decline in its history.
generation of BlackBerry smartphones sent RIM shares on yet another
downward spiral on Friday and pushed some analysts to sound the death
knell for the mobile device that once defined the industry.
RIM's announcement late Thursday that it expected to launch
smartphones powered by its new QNX operating system months after
initially expected revived calls for sweeping changes in RIM's
management led by co-CEOs Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie.
The delay, combined with a dismal performance outlook issued along
with its quarterly results, sparked renewed chatter about the break-up
of the Canadian tech giant, which has floundered as Apple Inc and other
nimbler competitors claw away at its market share.
"RIM confirmed the BlackBerry 10 smartphones will be delayed until
the latter part of calendar 2012. This could be game over for the
BlackBerry franchise," analysts at Canadian brokerage National Bank
Financial wrote in a note to clients. BlackBerry 10 is the name the
company has given to the QNX phones, which RIM had initially expected to
deliver in the first quarter.
On Friday, the delay spurred several brokerage firms to cut their
price targets and ratings on RIM shares and sent the Waterloo,
Ontario-based company's shares tumbling more than 12 percent in early
trading on Friday.
"We see a high risk that this is too late to turn around RIM's
position and believe the risk of further delays is meaningful," Nomura
analyst Stuart Jeffrey said in a research note. "Even in the best case,
however, it seems unlikely RIM will have large volumes of its BB10
devices on sale within 15 months."
RIM has been counting on the new QNX operating system to make up
ground lost to Apple Inc's iPhone and iPad and the slew of devices that
use Google Inc's Android software. The delay portends another long-year
of transition for RIM, allowing rivals to make further in-roads into
RIM's market share.
RIM on Thursday also provided a gloomy outlook for earning as sales
of an interim line of legacy BlackBerry 7 smartphones lag during the
crucial holiday season. Even if shipments hit the high-end of RIM's
expectations during Christmas, the company will still post the first
annual decline in its history.