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New RIM CEO: No, really, there's 'a lot of change' here

Thorsten Heins backtracks to clarify earlier comments that suggested a lack of urgency to make changes at RIM, which set off a wave of concern.

Roger Cheng Former Executive Editor / Head of News
Roger Cheng (he/him/his) was the executive editor in charge of CNET News, managing everything from daily breaking news to in-depth investigative packages. Prior to this, he was on the telecommunications beat and wrote for Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal for nearly a decade and got his start writing and laying out pages at a local paper in Southern California. He's a devoted Trojan alum and thinks sleep is the perfect -- if unattainable -- hobby for a parent.
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Roger Cheng
2 min read

Okay, now Research In Motion is all about change.

Research in Motion CEO Thorsten Heins RIM

That's according to new CEO Thorsten Heins, who backtracked and clarified earlier comments that he didn't believe RIM need to make any real changes to the business. In an interview with Crackberry, Heins said that there have been plenty of ongoing changes with the move to a new software platform.

"There is a lot of change," he said in an interview published late yesterday. "There is no standstill at any moment here at RIM."

Heins said Monday during a conference call that he didn't see any need for drastic changes in the company's strategy. That comment spooked investors, consumers, and company observers, many of whom feared that RIM would face the same challenges and issues under the new CEO. It's the current strategy that has left the company in a much weaker position than it was a year earlier, with lost market share, a tarnished BlackBerry brand, and a troubled tablet.

By drastic changes, Heins clarified, he meant that there was no need to break up or sell the company.

"What I wanted to make clear to the market is that we believe in our own strength, we are BlackBerry, we are an integrated solution, hardware, software, services, and network," he said.

Heins also commented on the suggestion that RIM move to Android. He doesn't believe there is room for differentiation, which can be enabled if a company manages both the software and hardware sides.

He was also candid in admitting that RIM has dropped the ball at times in the last year, but reiterated that he believes the company is on the right path.

"Did we miss on some commitments? Yes, I admit that," he said. "That happens in high tech. This is not baking cookies. This is building high tech products."