I actually think this strategy is a bad one for RIM. You aren't going to beat Apple at its own game (UX/consumer market), you need to change the dynamics of the engagement.
One area that RIM/Blackberry is still king is the enterprise. Apple hasn't even attempted to enter this market, for good reason.
I think a viable - although controversial - strategy would be to simplify the offering and the company into a provider of enterprise communications devices. Beef up BES based on customer feedback, pull all blackberries from consumer shelves (i.e. Joe public can't buy one), focus on owning the market for devices with large organizations that provide phones to their staff as a cost of business. Expand into high security, high risk areas like the military and government (Obama doesn't have an iPhone, does he?).
This would also have the effect making owning a blackberry a sign that you are an "elite member of a large group that can afford them", like it was in the later 90's. Owning a blackberry has no cache anymore, because any 16 year old can go buy a pink curve and look as cool as you do.
This is the exact opposite of what this exec is looking for, but in the end will make for a stronger (although smaller) RIM, I believe.
The strategy suggested by the exec is a recipe for disaster.
One area that RIM/Blackberry is still king is the enterprise. Apple hasn't even attempted to enter this market, for good reason.
I think a viable - although controversial - strategy would be to simplify the offering and the company into a provider of enterprise communications devices. Beef up BES based on customer feedback, pull all blackberries from consumer shelves (i.e. Joe public can't buy one), focus on owning the market for devices with large organizations that provide phones to their staff as a cost of business. Expand into high security, high risk areas like the military and government (Obama doesn't have an iPhone, does he?).
This would also have the effect making owning a blackberry a sign that you are an "elite member of a large group that can afford them", like it was in the later 90's. Owning a blackberry has no cache anymore, because any 16 year old can go buy a pink curve and look as cool as you do.
This is the exact opposite of what this exec is looking for, but in the end will make for a stronger (although smaller) RIM, I believe.
The strategy suggested by the exec is a recipe for disaster.