Research in Motion launched a new, free operating system online on Tuesday morning in an effort to boost sales for the sputtering Playbook tablet. It may have taken 11 months for RIM to add e-mail to its tablets, but famed trademark BlackBerry Messenger remains noticeably absent.
Calling it ‘seriously sexy,’ this critical software revamp is the company’s first release since the one-two punch of their long-time chiefs’ resignation.
The upgrades include support for all of Google’s Android-friendly apps, built-in email, WordPress, and a much more user-friendly calendar. But, the ever-popular’s BBM’s absence has left RIM devotees reeling.
RIM is hoping the Playbook 2.0 will spell an end to their recent troubles, and make them more competitive with Google and Apple. Well, ideally. In spite of heavy discounts and giveaways to push the Playbooks, the tablet has recorded disappointing sales since its April debut. While Apple sold 15 million iPads last quarter, only a million Playbooks were sold by December.
Analysts are mildly impressed with the upgrades thus far, but question if it is ample enough to push the Playbooks to profit. After a rise in early trading on the TSX Tuesday morning, RIM was hit with a fall of 20 cents, closing the day at $14.82.
The Playbook promo tour also includes a media tie-in on Jennifer Lopez’s other talent-search show, Q’Viva, which has only made headlines for its not-so-scandalous amalgam of Lopez and recent-ex Marc Anthony. With more (hopefully) higher-profile sponsorship deals in the mix, don’t count RIM out yet — the company managed to increase its subscriber base by 35 per cent last year.
The new Playbook uses RIM’s newly acquired QNX operating system. The new generation of the RIM smartphone, the BlackBerry 10, is due out in stores later this year.
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Joanna Adams writes the Morning Cable, and lots more, for Toronto Standard. Follow her on Twitter at †@nowstarringTO.
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