As more and more students switch over to iPhone or Droid devices, the market for BlackBerries, at one time the phone of choice for many students, continues to worsen.
Shares for BlackBerry maker Research in Motion plunged to $19 a share this week, down 67 percent from the beginning of the year.
That leaves RIM in fourth place in the smart phone wars, behind Apple, Google and Microsoft, which operates Nokia phones.
As recently as 2008, RIM and BlackBerry controlled 16.2 percent of the smart phone market, behind only Nokia. Now, experts are predicting that number to decrease to 8.4 percent by the end of the year, placing it behind Samsung, Apple, Nokia, and HTC.
“I had a BlackBerry for several years, because I really liked how simple it was to use. However, after playing around with the iPhone, I had faith in my ability to use a touchscreen, and I switched over almost immediately. I really like the effectiveness of the touch screen and the usefulness of the apps,” said junior supply chain and marketing major Josh Fanaroff.
Recent technological problems have plagued RIM and BlackBerry users. In early October, RIM experienced one of the worst outages in its history. Millions of users across the world were unable to send and receive emails and messages for several days. In the aftermath of the outage, the company lost thousands of dollars from users and investors.
“I’m switching over to an iPhone as soon as I can. For me, the main reason I stuck with BlackBerry was for its email and BBM capabilities, so if they aren’t trustworthy then there is no point in sticking with it,” said junior finance and marketing major Adam Parkes.
Despite its recent problems, some users are sticking with their BlackBerries.
“I’ve had my BlackBerry since ninth grade, and I really like it. I could have switched over to an iPhone or Droid, but I like having the keyboard. It’s easier for me to use,” said junior biochemistry major Liz Caskey.
BlackBerry users are hoping that the company improves the product and fixes the multiple glitches, as the company’s long-term future may depend on it.