RIM Delivers Blackberry 10 But Still Needs To Execute And Show What Its Mobile Vision Is

RIM showed off its newest but yet to be released Blackberry 10 OS today.  So far, all signs points to things stabilizing in the short-term for RIM if the Canadian mobile giant can deliver as promised.  However, how long before things start crashing down again?  Don’t get me wrong.  We want RIM to succeed but it’s not as simple as coming up with a mobile device that is on par with the current mobile trend-settings like Android.  Look at how long it took for the Playbook to get features like e-mail?  And even then, the Playbook has not managed to make any kind of inroad in the tablet market.

Let’s say RIM manages to deliver on what’s promised – a new Blackberry handset running the latest and greatest OS with some very impressive features, what then?  It would not only have to show that it can keep up with the big boys but RIM has to show what it has planned beyond that.to give supporters what is beyond mobile.

For a while, RIM might be able to do at best is hold onto its corporate market a bit longer.  However, in a world where more workers are given a choice of Android devices, Blackberries, and iPhones, it goes beyond just mobile.

Apple has built an ecosystem that few can rival.  Perhaps, the closest to come to the iTunes ecosystem is Amazon with its Kindle ecosystem.  Google and Microsoft are at least trying to replicate this system for their own respective mobile and desktop operating systems.  What does RIM have beyond what was once a promising tablet and a shrinking mobile market share?

Let’s look at some of RIM’s competitors.  RIM doesn’t have the reach of the likes of even Samsung or Sony – both with media boxes and HDTV.  Even Sony has its Playstation brand and media empire.   And being able to reach into the living is a must for mobile players.

What about the big three?  Google has already advanced Android on many HDTVs.  Microsoft is banking that windows 8 as well as its loyal Xbox market will give it an advantage.  Apple’s Apple TV strategy is still a hobby and there are a lot of signs that its’ ready to let go of that label and take the whole iTunes system up to a whole new level.  And I haven’t even gotten into rumored Apple-branded HDTV yet.

And what of RIM’s cloud stategy?

Cleary, in addition to developing and releasing Blackberry 10 devices on time, RIM has to show that it can keep up with its competitors.  It has to find partners to provide media like video, music, and ebooks.  It has to find a way into the lives of its customers and make itself an indispensable part of their lives and not just provide a means for mobile communication.

The following video demo of the BB10 keyboard shows that RIM can in fact innovate.  The problem isn’t necessarily that.  It’s execution and vision.  So far, both remains lacking.