RIM cuts around 2,000 jobs; Shuffles management

RIM announced today that in addition to some management changes, they are cutting about 2,000 employees from their workforce. We knew that some slimming down was on the way for RIM, but weren’t sure of the exact number of employees that would be lost. More on the cuts and other “expense reductions” will be known after the RIM’s next earnings call in mid-September.

“The workforce reduction is believed to be a prudent and necessary step for the long term success of the company and it follows an extended period of rapid growth within the company whereby the workforce had nearly quadrupled in the last five years alone.”

Both Jim Balsille and Mike Lazaridis will retain their co-CEO positions for now however. Along with the cuts comes some movement among management positions at RIM as well. Just a few days ago RIM lost Ryan Bidan to Samsung, and RIM today has announced the retirement of their Chief Operating Officer Don Morrison as well. Keep reading for the full press release.

Press Release: Research In Motion Reports First Quarter Fiscal 2012 Results and Revises Full Year Guidance

Here are the numbers!

 

Press Release

Research In Motion Reports First Quarter Fiscal 2012 Results and Revises Full Year Guidance

Announces Plans to Streamline Operations and Accelerate New Product Introductions

Board of Directors Approves Share Repurchase Program

WATERLOO, ONTARIO–(Marketwire – June 16, 2011) – Research In Motion Limited (RIM) (NASDAQ:RIMM)(TSX:RIM), a world leader in the mobile communications market, today reported first quarter results for the three months ended May 28, 2011 (all figures in U.S. dollars and U.S. GAAP).

Highlights:

• Revenue in the first quarter of fiscal 2012 grew 16% over the same quarter last year
• International revenue1 in Q1 grew 67% year over year
• Gross margin in the quarter was approximately 44%, slightly higher than expected due to product mix
• RIM launched the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet in North America and shipped approximately 500,000 units in the first quarter

Q1 Fiscal 2012 Results:

Press Release: Research In Motion Provides Updated Q1 Guidance

At the close of the markets today RIM fired off a press release letting investors know they’ve adjusted their forecasted revenue down from the guidance provided last quarter. The drop is due to less phone sales than expected, with a bigger portion of the sales mix coming from lower end phones than expected. The press release is below to read, but if you’re by the computer at 5:30pm EDT you can jump on the live webcast to hear RIM talk about the numbers (I’m curious to see if they have anything to say about the PlayBook launch).

Press Release

RIM reports Q4 earnings; revenue misses estimates despite record shipments

Shares of Research in Motion stock declined over 12% after hours on Thursday as the company reported its fourth-quarter earnings for its 2011 fiscal year. RIM reported revenue that missed Wall Street’s consensus on device shipments that exceeded expectations by 200,000 units. Fourth-quarter revenue came in at $5.6 billion, just below the $5.64 billion analysts expected. Device shipments for the quarter totalled 14.9 million units, beating estimates of 14.7 million units, and full-year shipments were a record 52.3 million units — a 43% improvement over the year prior. Full-year revenue of $19.9 billion grew 33% over the 2010 fiscal year and net income was up 47% year-over-year to $3.4 billion. “We are pleased to report record shipments and financial performance in fiscal 2011,” said RIM’s Co-CEO Jim Balsillie in a statement. “As we enter fiscal 2012, RIM is in an excellent position to benefit from the continuing convergence of the mobile communications and mobile computing markets. We are laying a strong foundation for RIM’s expanding market opportunity through focused investments and we are extremely excited about our smartphone, tablet and platform roadmaps.” Hit the break for the full press release.

Press Release: BlackBerry App World Now Available In Over 100 Markets

Press Release

BlackBerry App World Now Available In Over 100 Markets

Discover, download and enjoy a wide range of applications from BlackBerry App World, now available in 27 additional markets

WATERLOO, ONTARIO and BARCELONA, SPAIN–(Marketwire – Feb. 14, 2011) – Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ:RIMM)(TSX:RIM) today announced that BlackBerry App World™ is now available in 27 additional markets worldwide. With today’s announcement, BlackBerry App World is now available in 101 markets. BlackBerry App World allows customers to discover, download and enjoy a wide range of mobile applications for their BlackBerry® smartphones.

BlackBerry smartphone users are downloading more than 2 million apps per day from BlackBerry App World on average and there are over 20,000 BlackBerry apps available today. RIM continues to support developers in order to provide apps that leverage the many advantages of the BlackBerry platform and deliver best-in-class mobile experiences.

“There is high demand for BlackBerry apps and we’re delighted to be opening up the BlackBerry App World online store to customers in an additional 27 markets today,” said Alan Brenner, Senior Vice President, BlackBerry Platform, Research In Motion. “It’s never been easier to develop apps for BlackBerry smartphones and we look forward to seeing the rich catalog of personal and business oriented apps continue to grow.”

The BlackBerry App World online store is available for all BlackBerry smartphones with a trackball, trackpad or touch screen running BlackBerry OS (device software) 4.5 or higher. Customers can download BlackBerry App World through their computer or directly from their smartphone by visiting www.blackberry.com/appworld or mobile.blackberry.com. BlackBerry App World can then be conveniently accessed over both Wi-Fi® and mobile phone networks and will automatically present users with the relevant catalog of applications available for their specific BlackBerry smartphone model.

Press Release: Research In Motion Makes Lead Commitment to Second BlackBerry Partners Fund

Press Release

Research In Motion Makes Lead Commitment to Second BlackBerry Partners Fund

WATERLOO, ONTARIO–(Marketwire – Feb. 14, 2011) – Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ:RIMM)(TSX:RIM) and the BlackBerry® Partners Fund today announced that RIM is making a lead commitment to BlackBerry Partners Fund II, a new US$150 million independent venture capital fund focused exclusively on mobile computing. BlackBerry Partners Fund II is expected to launch in June 2011 and will have a broader international mandate than the first Fund.

“We are very pleased with the positive impact of the first Fund on our mobile ecosystem and we look forward to BlackBerry Partners Fund II bringing additional resources and support to mobile innovators in a broader range of international markets,” said Jim Balsillie, Co-CEO at Research In Motion.

“We are very fortunate to have RIM as an anchor investor and partner in our Fund and greatly anticipate expanding our reach and the geographical scope of Fund II,” said John Albright, Co-Managing Partner of BlackBerry Partners Fund.

The first BlackBerry Partners Fund was established in 2008 in collaboration with Research In Motion, Thomson Reuters, Royal Bank of Canada and a roster of high profile investors. The Fund has made 13 investments to-date in mobile start-ups in Canada, the United States, Israel and Ireland. The Fund brings capital, resources and domain expertise to the partnerships it forms with exceptional entrepreneurs around the world who are shaping the future of the mobile eco-system.

Press Release: EA's Need for Speed and Tetris Coming to BlackBerry PlayBook at Launch

Update: We reached out to RIM and it does look like these will both be full versions. Tetris will be pre-installed and a “lite” version of Need For Speed will be installed with the full version downloading when you have Wifi coverage.

I was wondering what games we would see come preloaded on the BlackBerry PlayBook at launch. While I was sort of hoping for a souped up version of BrickBreaker, it looks like RIM is going a different route. They are really trying to put the play in PlayBook… coming preloaded on the BlackBerry PlayBook at launch is going to be EA’s Need for Speed Undercover and Tetris.  And based on the press release, we’re not talking demo versions of the games here, but the full thing (at least that better be the case!). Keep reading for the full press release. RIM will be demoing the games next week in Barcelona at MWC, so we’ll soon see the action for realz. Does this make you even more excited to get your PlayBook? Do you think we’ll still see BrickBreaker in some form (I sure hope so!). Sound off in the comments!

Press Release

Research in Motion Q2 Fiscal 2011 Results Announced

* Update – After hours trading has the stock up over 7% on RIM’s record profits. The Globe and Mail just posted a good article summarizing everything – read it here. It’s clear a lot of the current sales and growth are coming internationally while North America is flattening out a bit with the competition from Apple and Android increasing. Listening to the Q&A though, the team seem very upbeat about the future quarters and Jim said we’re going to be pleasantly surprised at DevCon, which kicks off on Sept. 27th. I can’t wait! *

Research in Motion just posted their 2nd Quarter fiscal 2011 results (yes 2011 is right… that’s how RIM reports. not a typo)….  the investors call starts at 5pm ET so tune in if you want to hear from RIM’s Co-CEO Jim Balsillie first hand on their performance (I’ll be listening). You can listen here. We’ll report back with more once the call is over. In the meantime, check out the press release below!

Press Release

Verizon Wireless and Research In Motion launch the all new BlackBerry Curve 3G

We’ve known this was coming for a while now and today is the day. Verizon and Research In Motion have just announced the availability of the BlackBerry Curve 3G for the Verizon network. The brand new BlackBerry Curve 3G will be available in business sales channels beginning Sept. 16. After that, it will be available for purchase online and in stores in the coming weeks. The device will sell for $29.99 with a new two year agreement after rebates, plus data plan. You can hit the jump for the full press release. Also, as noted in the press release the BlackBerry Curve 3G for Verizon will come in Charcoal and Fuschia red color variations and is most certainly BlackBerry 6 capable.

Verizon Wireless and RIM Launch a New Model of the Popular BlackBerry Curve 3G Smartphone

BASKING RIDGE, NEW JERSEY and WATERLOO, ONTARIO–(Marketwire – Sept. 14, 2010) – Verizon Wireless and Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ:RIMM)(TSX:RIM) today announced a new 3G addition to the popular BlackBerry Curve family of smartphones. Running on the nation’s largest and most reliable wireless voice and 3G data network, the new BlackBerry(R) Curve(TM) 3G smartphone (model 9330) will be available in business sales channels beginning Sept. 16. It will be available online at www.verizonwireless.com and in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores in the coming weeks.

Colors: Charcoal or Fuchsia Red

Key features and specifications:

• Stylish new design (4.3″ x 2.4″ x .55″ and 3.7 oz.) with face finished in a mirror-like trim; black, soft-touch sides; and textured back for a comfortable, secure feel in the hand.
• 35-key full QWERTY backlit keyboard for fast, accurate typing and optical trackpad for easy and fluid navigation.
• Dedicated media keys integrated along the top of the smartphone, so music lovers can easily access their tunes while on the go
• BlackBerry(R) Media Sync to easily sync music as well as photos with the smartphone
• 512 MB Flash memory and microSD/SDHC slot that supports up to 32 GB memory cards for media storage
• Built-in GPS with support for geo-tagging and location-based applications, including VZ Navigator(R), which provides audible turn-by-turn directions to millions of points of interest and the option to share the directions with others
• Built-in Wi-Fi(R) (802.11 b/g) for fast browsing; smooth music streaming; and the ability to talk on the phone while browsing the Web, instant message with BBM(TM) (BlackBerry(R) Messenger), and share location with friends on popular social networking sites
• Camera with video recording (requires a separately sold microSD card)
• Industry-leading BlackBerry e-mail and messaging capabilities
• Easy mobile access to Facebook(R), Twitter(TM), MySpace(TM) and Flickr(R) as well as popular instant messaging services
• Support for BlackBerry App World(TM), featuring a broad and growing catalog of third-party mobile applications developed specifically for BlackBerry smartphones
• Premium phone features, including voice-activated dialing, speakerphone, and Bluetooth(R) (2.1)

BlackBerry(R) 6 ready:

The BlackBerry Curve 3G smartphone ships with BlackBerry(R) 5 and is BlackBerry(R) 6 ready. BlackBerry 6 is a new operating system for BlackBerry(R) smartphones that retains the trusted features that distinguish the BlackBerry brand while delivering a fresh and engaging experience that is both powerful and easy to use. BlackBerry 6 is expected to be available for the BlackBerry Curve 3G, upon network certification, in the coming months.

Pricing and availability:

The BlackBerry Curve 3G smartphone (model 9330) will be available in business sales channels on Sept. 16, and it will be available online and in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores in the coming weeks for $29.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement on a voice plan with an Email and Web feature or an Email and Web for BlackBerry plan. Data plans for the BlackBerry Curve 3G smartphone begin at $29.99 when added to any Nationwide voice plan. Customers will receive the mail-in rebate in the form of a debit card; upon receipt, customers may use the card as cash anywhere debit cards are accepted. For more information on Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com. Business customers can contact their Verizon Wireless Business Sales Representative at 1-800-VZW-4BIZ. To learn more about the new BlackBerry Curve 3G smartphone, visit www.blackberry.com/curve3G. For more information about BlackBerry 6, go to www.blackberry.com/6.

RIM officially announced BlackBerry Curve 3G, will support BlackBerry 6

RIM Introduces the New BlackBerry Curve 3G Smartphone
New addition to the globally popular BlackBerry Curve series is fast, easy-to-use, richly-featured and BlackBerry 6 ready
WATERLOO, ONTARIO–(Marketwire – Aug. 9, 2010) – Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ:RIMM)(TSX:RIM) today announced the new BlackBerry(R) Curve(TM) 3G, an exciting addition to the globally popular BlackBerry Curve series of smartphones. Designed to provide the growing mass of smartphone purchasers with a distinctly powerful, approachable and affordable choice, the BlackBerry Curve 3G supports high-speed 3G (HSDPA) networks around the world and gives users the exceptional communications features they need to accomplish more than ever, when they’re at home, at work and everywhere in-between.
“The majority of people in the worldwide mobile phone market have yet to buy their first smartphone and the BlackBerry Curve 3G is designed to provide an extremely attractive and accessible choice that will help convince many of them to make the leap,” said Mike Lazaridis, President and Co-CEO at Research In Motion. “The new BlackBerry Curve 3G is a perfect choice for happily busy people who are looking for a user-friendly 3G smartphone to help them make the most of their day and to stay connected with their friends, family and co-workers.”
The BlackBerry Curve 3G smartphone features a comfortable full-QWERTY keyboard for fast, accurate typing, optical trackpad for fluid navigation, built-in GPS and Wi-Fi(R), as well as dedicated media keys, so music lovers can easily access their tunes while on the go. The new smartphone also features a camera that can record video and a microSD/SDHC slot that supports up to 32 GB memory cards for media storage. Support for 3G networks makes browsing faster, streaming music smoother, and gives users the ability to talk on the phone while they browse the web, instant message with BlackBerry(R) Messenger (BBM(TM)) or share their location with friends on popular social networking sites.
The BlackBerry Curve 3G ships with BlackBerry 5 and is BlackBerry 6 ready. BlackBerry 6 is a new operating system for BlackBerry(R) smartphones that was announced last week. It retains the trusted features that distinguish the BlackBerry brand while delivering a fresh and engaging experience that is both powerful and easy to use. BlackBerry 6 is expected to be available for the BlackBerry Curve 3G, subject to carrier certifications, in the coming months.
The new BlackBerry Curve 3G smartphone (model 9300) will be available from various carriers and distribution partners around the world beginning in August. Check with local carriers for details about availability and pricing