Blackberry 2012 Annual Report Download - page 14

7
• Introduced the Cost Optimization Program designed to eliminate redundancies and reallocate resources to focus on areas that
offer the hi
g
hest
g
rowth o
pp
ortunities and ali
g
nment with RIM’s strate
g
ic ob
j
ectives;
• Commenced the CORE program, which is expected to drive significant improvements and efficiencies across all functions in
RIM’s or
g
anization;
• Successfully bid for the patent portfolio of Nortel Networks Corporation (“Nortel”) as a part of a consortium of companies. This
strategic investment of which RIM’s portion was approximately $779 million, is expected to significantly strengthen the
Com
p
an
y
’s technolo
gy
p
latform;
• Grew the BlackBerry subscriber base to approximately 77 million users by the end of fiscal 2012. RIM remains a leader in the
rapidly growing smartphone market and BlackBerry holds either leading brand, leading device and leading brand on prepay
positions in the United Kingdom, Netherlands, Spain, Saudi Arabia, UAE, South Africa, Nigeria, Indonesia and Latin America
(Source: GfK December 2011);
• Enhanced the BlackBerry developer platform, and exceeded two billion BlackBerry App World™ application downloads, with
a
pp
roximatel
y
six million downloads occurrin
g
each da
y
on BlackBerr
y
A
pp
World;
• BlackBerry Messenger (BBM™) and social applications gained traction around the world, with approximately 55 million
active BBM users as of March 3, 2012. There are now more than 325 socially connected BlackBerry applications that have
already been downloaded close to 60 million times. RIM also launched BBM™ Music, a new social music sharing and
discover
y
service;
• Launched the BlackBerry PlayBook™ tablet and, later in fiscal 2012, launched BlackBerry PlayBook™ OS 2.0, a free
software upgrade for BlackBerry PlayBook™ tablet users that includes new features to enhance productivity and
communications, includin
g
built-in email, calendar and contacts intended to deliver a sociall
y
connected BlackBerr
y
ex
p
erience;
• Announced BlackBerry Mobile Fusion, the next generation enterprise mobile device management solution for BlackBerry,
Android and iOS smartphones and tablets. BlackBerry Mobile Fusion, which was launched after the Company’s fiscal year end,
allows organizations to efficiently manage existing BlackBerry smartphones and BlackBerry PlayBook tablets, anticipated
BlackBerr
y
10 devices as well as devices runnin
g
the Goo
g
le Android and A
pp
le iOS o
p
eratin
g
s
y
stems;
• Introduced BlackBerry Balance™ technology with BlackBerry Mobile Fusion, BlackBerry Enterprise Server and BlackBerry
Enterprise Server Express. BlackBerry Balance allows enterprise users to carry one device and view both work and personal
information in an inte
g
rated wa
y
while kee
p
in
g
the content se
p
arate and secure;
• Launched new cloud services for small businesses with the BlackBerry Management Centre and enterprises with the BlackBerry
Business Cloud Services for Microsoft Office 365;
• RIM’s Board of Directors appointed Thorsten Heins as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, and appointed
Barbara Stymiest as the independent Chair of the Board as part of governance changes implemented in the fourth quarter of
fiscal 2012; and
• Certain additional changes to the Board and management occurred following the fiscal year end, including the resignations of
Jim Balsillie from the Board and Jim Rowan, Chief Operating Officer for Global Operations, as well as the retirement of David
Yach, Chief Technolo
gy
Officer, Software.
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