BlackBerry10 Review: BlackBerry Finally Has Its Chance to Jump Back Into the Market

BlackBerry has had to step up its game considerably to compete in the tough new market of smartphones. From powerful operating systems to veritable oceans of great apps, they have quite a fight ahead of them if they want to capture a sizable share of the market. Because of the daunting challenges they face, BlackBerry is trying to bring its A-game like never before — and here's how the company is doing it.

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Thorsten Heins, the CEO of BlackBerry, has become very adamant that things need to change. From the top down and the bottom up, Blackberry needs to get it together and make the changes necessary to not only become relevant but become the best. These are strong words, and it is easy to think that it's just another CEO who's disconnected from reality and spouting off. But at the same time, making a big deal about something gives the company plenty of impetus to walk the walk.

Switching Things Up

For starters, there's no more of this RIM business. Now it's just BlackBerry putting out the BlackBerry 10 OS and supporting it. The overall design of the new phone has also undergone a serious transformation.

The body and the operating system are all new. It's quick, it's efficient, and it's clean, which is what users want. Whether BlackBerry can bring something new to the table remains to be seen, but they've finally abandoned the old ways of the phone itself.

The app area has also undergone a change. In an effort to become a hub for apps, the website has undergone a major redesign and has targeted developers. The first people with new BlackBerry phones are developers, and the goal is to create the apps that customers want. This is a good move, but only time will tell if it's actually enough.

Creating a World Of Apps

In today's marketplace, everybody knows you need to bring the apps and bring lots of great ones. So far, BlackBerry is off to a slow start and is lagging behind the major players. The company has had trouble getting major developers to back the new OS because of the company's spotty history in this arena.

However, the company is adamant about becoming an app-creating machine, and that level of passion can produce results whether most people expect it or not.

Understanding Their Customers

BlackBerry has had a hard time finding its niche. As far as demographics go, BB has tried to appeal to savvy business professionals and social-media-tethered millennials. While these are often the same people, it is difficult to find a balance between having the most fun phone for tweeting about how great the Deadmou5 show is, and clarifying the details with your multi-billion dollar client who's up at 3 a.m. poring over critical documents. BB hopes to bridge the gap between fun and business with its new OS platform.

Blackberry has a tough course to navigate, but the company is working hard. With some sheer determination and innovative ideas, it's possible they can re-climb the ladder like other tech companies have done before them.