New RIM CEO changes mind on change

New RIM CEO Thorsten Heins has backtracked and clarified earlier comments that he didn't believe RIM needs 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. "There is no standstill at any moment here at RIM."

Heins said on 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."

Via CNET