Blackberry: the movie about the Father of the Smartphone

You might have missed Blackberry when it came out in May, but you should definitely watch it. It’s a movie about Mike Lazaridis, the Father of the Smartphone, and how he forever changed the mobile phone market when he created the first smartphone in 1999. Although Blackberry is no longer a player in the smartphone market, their impact was huge.

The story of BlackBerry and its co-founder, Mike Lazaridis, is one of the most fascinating tales in the history of technology. BlackBerry was once a dominant player in the smartphone market, but it failed to keep up with the competition and eventually lost its position. The company’s downfall was a result of a combination of factors, including poor management decisions, lack of innovation, and intense competition from rivals like Apple and Samsung.

Mike Lazaridis co-founded Research In Motion (RIM), the company that created BlackBerry, in 1984. He was instrumental in the development of the BlackBerry device, which was initially designed as a two-way pager. The device was an instant hit, and it quickly became the go-to device for business professionals who needed to stay connected on the go.

BlackBerry’s success continued throughout the 2000s, and the company became a household name. However, the company’s fortunes began to decline in the late 2000s, as it struggled to keep up with the competition. BlackBerry’s management made several missteps, including a failure to innovate and a lack of focus on the consumer market.

In 2012, Mike Lazaridis resigned as co-CEO of RIM, followed by the rapid collapse of BlackBerry. After leaving BlackBerry, Lazaridis founded an investment company and has been involved in philanthropy and supporting researchers in the industry.

In conclusion, BlackBerry’s rise and fall is a cautionary tale about the importance of innovation, focus, and good management in the technology industry. The company’s failure to keep up with the competition ultimately led to its downfall, and it serves as a reminder that even the most successful companies can fall if they fail to adapt to changing market conditions.

This movie is also a very interesting lesson for business people and students, how things can go up and down so fast. Mike Lazaridis is one of over 100 Greek pioneers featured in our book: Meet the Greek Pioneers (available on all Amazon stores). Watch the trailer of Blackberry below: