BlackBerry was once the undisputed king of smartphones. In the early 2000s, their devices were ubiquitous, especially among business professionals. The iconic BlackBerry design, with its full QWERTY keyboard and trackball navigation, was the epitome of high-tech style. So how did this pioneer fall from grace so swiftly when the iPhone arrived on the scene?
BlackBerry started in 1984 when two college friends, Mike Lazaridis and Doug Fregin, formed a company called Research In Motion (RIM). Their first product was the Inter@ctive Pager, which allowed two-way messaging. After achieving modest success, RIM focused on mobile email and developed the BlackBerry 850. The turning point came in 2002 when RIM released the BlackBerry 5810, the first BlackBerry phone.
The 5810 was a breakthrough device that allowed users to access email on the go. It soon developed a cult following, especially among corporate users who needed to be constantly connected. Dubbed the “CrackBerry,” it was addictive technology. BlackBerry cemented its status as the must-have business phone when Oprah Winfrey declared her love for it on her popular TV show in 2002.
Over the next several years, BlackBerry continued to improve its offerings, adding phone capabilities, web browsing, apps, and more. By 2012, BlackBerry had peaked with over 80 million active users worldwide. However, trouble was brewing. While BlackBerry was focused on incrementally evolving its platform, Apple was preparing to revolutionize the market.
When Steve Jobs introduced the iPhone in 2007, it made the BlackBerry look antiquated overnight. With its full touchscreen and advanced software, the iPhone redefined what a smartphone could be. Where BlackBerry clung to its signature keyboard, Apple understood that touch was the future. BlackBerry attempted its own touchscreen phones, but its software wasn’t built for fingers.
As iPhone sales skyrocketed, BlackBerry’s market share went into freefall. It tried to keep pace with halfhearted attempts at touchscreen devices and a new operating system, but it was too little too late. By 2016, BlackBerry had less than 1% of the global smartphone market. The company gave up making its own phones in 2020.
Ultimately, BlackBerry was too focused on what made it successful in the past to see where the market was heading. It failed to capture the imagination of consumers the way Apple did. The company that invented the smartphone concept could not envision the next generation. This cautionary tale reminds us that innovation requires risk-taking and a willingness to cannibalize one’s own products to stay ahead of changing consumer tastes.
Things I Learned Last Night is an educational comedy podcast where best friends Jaron Myers and Tim Stone talk about random topics and have fun all along the way. If you like learning and laughing a lot while you do, you’ll love TILLN. Watch or listen to this episode right now!
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