In an effort to save what seems like a sinking ship, the co-founders and co-CEOs of Research in Motion, the developer of the Blackberry, may leave their positions as chairmen of RIM’s board of directors. It’s true, RIM hasn’t been doing so great these days. With competition from the sexier iPhone and the nerdier Android, it’s not surprising that Blackberry’s share of the smartphone market has taken a tumble in the last year. Add to that the great Blackberry Messenger debacle of October (when the BBM system froze over) – and you’ve got yourself some unsatisfied customers and sinking stock. But RIM’s stock went up 6% on Tuesday, when the news broke about a potential board shake-up. It seems a smart move for RIM, because in spite of the competition, Blackberry has carved out a pretty consistent corner for itself in the smartphone ranks. The product is there – it’s just a matter of keeping the brand alive. Oh, and not posting embarrassing videos of their CEO apologizing for tech mishaps. So with the latest murmurs of new governance, it seems RIM is making an important gamble – and they’ll probably win. Erene Stergiopoulos writes for Toronto Standard. Follow her on Twitter @fullerenes. Subscribe to our newsletter.
