Looking around your average South African mall or office block and it's hard to imagine that BlackBerry maker Research in Motion is experiencing financial difficulty.

Everyone is rocking the devices, from the young teen wanting to keep in contact with classmates to the businessperson closing a deal, promoting synergy or whatever they do.

However, in the all-important European and American markets, its influence has waned, with people opting for the iPhone and Android handsets instead.

It's a sad situation for the smartphone pioneer, with the BlackBerry brand taking a pounding from critics and customers alike. So what solutions are at hand for the ailing Waterloo giant?

 

A possible Microsoft partnership?

One of the bigger stories was the claim that Microsoft approached RIM about using the Windows Phone 8 platform. On paper, it seems like a strange yet fitting move.

RIM could pull a Nokia and sell a decent number of handsets, with the Windows Phone platform not being as congested with manufacturers as Android is.

Then again, with Microsoft's relatively stringent hardware requirements, it could be a bit of a challenge for RIM to create its handsets.

 

What about the robot army?

A partnership with Google seems great in theory, with the platform granting OEMs a great degree of freedom. And Android runs just fine on keyboard-equipped phones with tiny screens too, such as the Galaxy Y Pro and the Xperia X10 Mini Pro.

It wouldn't be the first time that RIM dabbles with Android either, with their PlayBook tablet featuring an Android app player of sorts too.

However, another question is whether a BlackBerry device equipped with Android can stand out among the other Google-powered handsets. And with the likes of Samsung, LG, HTC, Huawei, Motorola and more all vying for consumer dollars, RIM's task is not going to be an easy one.

 

A possible sale?

One of the most drastic options mooted is for Research in Motion to spin itself off.

Besides the hardware and software side of things, a prospective buyer would also net those all-important patents.

RIM has accumulated some of the most notable patents around, being in the smartphone business since the 90s. So it stands to reason that the likes of Google, Apple or Microsoft might simply gobble the company up for legal gain.

Besides the patents, the company could also sell off its BlackBerry Internet Service and Messenger bits - by far the company's most successful endeavours yet.

 

BIS and BBM spread their wings?

Then again, why sell the BIS and BBM services when you can license it out to rivals?

Bringing the Internet Service and Messenger features to other mobile giants could net the company a pretty penny or two, compared to a lump sum for a straight purchase, one would assume.

In fact, one of the reasons for former CEO Jim Balsillie walking out was that the company vetoed this very suggestion.

According to Reuters, the strategy would've seen cheap data plans, covering social media and instant-messaging services, being offered by networks. The aim behind the strategy would be to spur feature-phone users to smartphones.

 

Then again...

However, the new BlackBerry 10 update is a few months away and lo and behold, it's shaping up to be something different and fun.

While earlier versions of the platform were cumbersome and drab, BlackBerry 10 looks to drag the company into the big time, with an emphasis on touchscreens (although keyboard-based devices will be supported too).

And there's a lot to be excited about, with the platform using the same QNX base as its PlayBook tablet. There's the camera with Scalado tech embedded in it, so you can "rewind time" to make the perfect snap. And another cool feature is the keyboard, with word suggestions popping up next to individual keys.

 

 

 

It may have taken five years for RIM to come up with a platform with the potential to sail past its rivals, and we hope to see it actually launch. After all, the mobile world needs companies like Research in Motion.

The other question on our minds is, will it actually see widespread success? We can only wait until next year for the answer...

 

We'll be attending the BlackBerry 10 Jam World Tour on 31 July, so expect our impressions of the updated operating system then.