Thorsten Heins, the new man heading Research in Motion, the company that brought us the iconic BlackBerry line of smart phones, is the man to watch if you want a glimpse at the future of the mobile generations.
Research in Motion has been struggling, for quite a while now. Many things have contributed to their struggle, with the main thing being their lack of certain key features which consumers crave for in their handsets, such as widgets and a variety of third-party applications.
In April 2010, RIM announced that they would acquire QNX Software Systems, a decision that eventually turned the tables for them shortly after as they experienced a collapse in their market share and value. Although it was their first endeavor with QNX, the BlackBerry Playbook failed to make the impact they wished it would, as it paved the way for things to come.
In January 2012, RIM announced that Thorsten Heins would be appointed as their new CEO, replacing the dual CEOs and co-founders, Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie. That decision alone, saved Research in Motion.
Having corresponded with Mr Heins on several occasions, I can only report positive things about him. Heins is a friendly and polite man. He is respectful; a man with integrity and values. Not just that, Thorsten Heins is an intelligent man with a plan.
Heins has something up his sleeves and, unlike Nokia’s Stephen Elop, it’s not the destruction of a key platform in the company’s survival, but instead the empowerment of it. Not only are they building the next best operating system, but they are building a new ecosystem that will change the way we are using smart phones.
Heins is leading the revolution. Devices such as the BlackBerry London will start the onslaught; more will follow ,and thanks to their investment into developers through their global Dev Jam events, one of the key ingredients to their success is ensured.
Great innovation in the mobile sector will also contribute to their success. Recent patents show promise. Patents such as a smart card router, a pocket sized routing device for all your gadgets, and a fuel cell infused keyboard, which allows charging of the device while you’re typing.
Existing signature BlackBerry services such as their iconic Enterprise mailing system and instant messenger, BBM, as well as their network services collectively known as BIS, and their deep third-party application integration will be the key driving force behind their ‘return’ to the market.
Thorsten Heins is heading RIM, he isn’t going anywhere, and neither are they. Heins is leading a company that is ready to make a comeback, much like Apple did when they were inches away from bankruptcy. The Berry is growing and Spring is upon us.
