RIM co-CEO Warns of 'Data Obesity' Doom

[Rocco Augusto]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://networks.silicon.com/mobile/0,39024665,39159338,00.htm' target='_blank'>http://networks.silicon.com/mobile/0,39024665,39159338,00.htm</a><br /><br /></div><i>"The president and co-CEO of RIM, maker of BlackBerry devices, warned the industry on Monday that allowing people unlimited wireless data use will have a devastating effect on wireless innovation. In a keynote address given at GlobalComm, a telecommunications trade show in Chicago, Mike Lazaridis told attendees carriers need to be very careful how they roll out wireless internet services."</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/images/augusto-2006.06.07-rim.jpg" alt="User submitted image" title="User submitted image"/><br /><br />Very interesting article; while this article does seem to echo "Chicken Little" it still brings up a valid concern. Does offering an unlimited data plan actually hurt the growth of innovation? In my honest opinion, no. I personally believe that offering these services at a reasonable price is what in turn inspires innovation in the first place. You can't offer a really innovative product if no one is going to use it because it costs an arm and a leg.

[Ed Hansberry]

No, but it hurts RIM because unlimited data gives people more that plain text emails. when they get a taste of a rich browsing experience, the blackberry comes up short compared to other platforms.

all those treo 700W owners with EVDO. you feel your experience is stifling innovation?

[chandler]

This is wrong, wrong, wrong. As someone who works on infrastructure I know full well what's driving innovation now, and it's unlimited data. Carriers desperately want to expand their capacity to offer data services. EDGE is innovation. UMTS is innovation. EVDO is innovation. Complaining is not :D

[Jerry Raia]

I think Lazaridis should be spending his time coming up with a device that doesnt look 15 years old. I mean look at that primitive thing. No wonder he is worried.

[Ben]

I use a blackberry 8700c for work, and my biggest complaints? Not clamshell, not very versatile in multimedia or editing or often even viewing attachments to emails, and no way to expand the memory. Huge legal battles stiffle innovation and hinder the adoption of WiFi or the crippling of Bluetooth, not unlimited data. Unlimited data simply threatens the business models of many companies that are developed around the charging of incremental and unnecessary fees for things that never should have to cost extra charges. RIM is concerned about unlimited data because it renders the Blackberry device without memory cards of any kind very uncompetetive, and most service providers are opposed to WiFi because it makes VoIP so simple and phone users could suddenly avoid massive monthly phone bills. It's shocking sometimes how transparent these guys are and how little they are really concerned about consumers and true innovation and what they are willing to say to continue lining their pockets . . . :wink:

[Rocco Augusto]

i think RIM is just upset because their data plans are usually $20 more compared to data for the Smartphone or PPC platform :)