Simon’s Blog

Which has the greater mind-share among developers - Apple’s iPhone or RIM’s Blackberry?  It’s not a difficult question to answer. I think we can safely say that, today, it’s the iPhone.  That wasn’t always the case though - the Blackberry platform has been around for years longer than the iPhone.    It’s clear, though, that RIM is losing the battle.  The question is - why?   It’s not that the iPhone is a better device, because RIM makes some really great Blackberries, and there are many people that think Blackberries are better than iPhones.  It’s not to do with the size of the potential market - there are (currently) more Blackberries in the market than iPhones. No, the “reason why” is this: Apple has done a great job of really helping developers to create compelling third-party applications for the iPhone, and enabling them to get their apps into the hands of end users.  Just a month after the iPhone App Store opened for business, some sixty million applications have already been downloaded by iPhone owners.     However, in comparison with Apple, the truth is that RIM has done an appalling job of helping developers to create compelling applications for Blackberries.

That’s where we are now, and we can’t do anything about that.  What counts is the future.  So, the first thing the senior management at RIM needs to understand, and take on board, is that they are, right now, doing in inadequate job of executing in this area.  They should now be working night and day, along with their employees, to catch up with Apple.  Why? Because Apple is just about to drink RIM’s milkshake. RIM needs to focus on stepping up to the plate in terms of enabling: Blackberry application development; Blackberry application deployment; and Blackberry application distribution.  Herewith, then, the top three things RIM needs to do, if they’re going to get developers genuinely enthusiastic about the Blackberry platform.

1. Scrap the JDE developer IDE. I’m sorry to say this, but there’s just no nice way to put it: JDE is ugly, and a long way from the state of the art.   So please - just forget it. Instead, focus on making amazing plug-ins for the two great, free Java IDEs - Netbeans and Eclipse (the Netbeans plug-in needs to integrate with the fabulous Netbeans Mobility features).   Also, make the Blackberry simulator work well with these IDEs, and make sure to keep everything up to date with the latest versions. Unlike with JDE, please let developers build all the files needed to build an app, and fire it up in a simulator, with one click.  You know - Click! -> .jad, .cod and .alx files; deploying the .cod file to the simulator; and running the app.   I haven’t totalled up the number of clicks needed today, to go from compiling an app, to having it running on the Blackberry simulator - but it’s a lot - probably more than ten; and it probably takes 30 seconds of elapsed time to go through the process.  It’s incredibly clunky.
2. Fix the wired app deployment experience. This affects developers, of course, but it also affects end users who really will have no clue how to fix it, and so won’t be able to install the application that the developer has invested so much time in creating.   The point is - not everyone wants to install their apps over the air (OTA), and in some cases OTA will not not be desirable (e.g. if the installers are large).   So, there needs to be a wired deployment method that “just works”.  Of course, RIM already has a wired deployment method; but like their IDE… well… let’s just that it’s not as well-designed and implemented as it could be.  How so? Well, here’s what should happen when someone runs the Blackberry application loader….   1. Run application loader. 2) Install application.  3. Done. Not exactly rocket science, is it? However, that’s not what actually tends to happens when using RIM’s software.  What actually tends to happen the first time a user tries to install their first application on their shiny new Blackberry is that they get a completely meaningless error message saying that, “No additional applications for your device were found”. WTF?!  The user just clicked on the installer, FFS!  I did a quick search, and found almost a thousand places on-line where this problem has been discussed, over a period of years!  That kind of thing turns most people off from trying to install an app ever again, after they can’t get it to work the first time.  It’s very much a case of “once bitten, twice shy.” So,  iTunes the Blackberry Desktop Manager software ain’t! It’s time to fix it up.
3. Take control of the Blackberry platform. Build an app store so that third-party Blackberry apps can be distributed effectively.   Apple hasn’t ceded control of the iPhone platform to mobile operators. Why? Because the mobile operators do not understand software, and do not care about their customers.  Apple understands that an amazing customer experience with consumer devices is the key to success. RIM must wrest control of the Blackberry back from the control of network operators, and build a single app store that can be accessed on every single Blackberry device on the planet, by every single user of a Blackberry device (it also needs to automatically deal with firmware updates too - most Blackberry users don’t keep their device up-to-date, because they don’t even know what their device OS is, let alone know that it’s possible to upgrade it).  By the way, Apple has made a strategic error in making their App Store the exclusive distribution platform for iPhone apps - so there’s no need to copy that bit.  That’s an opportunity to best Apple. Take it!

That about covers the big things that need to be fixed with the Blackberry platform - application development, deployment and distribution.  The problems I’ve highlighted here are all, IMHO, critical to the future success of the Blackberry platform.  It’s a shame, because the devices themselves are great, and the fundamental platform is capable of running some fabulous, powerful apps.  It’s just not as much fun to develop them as it could be, in fact it’s downright painful. It will be interesting to see if RIM addresses these issues in the near future, or if they’re intending to just sit back and watch Apple grab all their market share…