Research In Motion To Cut 2,000 Jobs

The maker of the Blackberry, Research In Motion, is rapidly losing market share.

July 25, 2011- Blackberry maker Research In Motion Ltd. continues to lose market share across the U.S. from handsets with Google Android software and the iPhone by Apple. They announced on Monday plans to eliminate 2,000 jobs or the equivalent of about 10% of their workforce, due to losing market share and amid slow sales.

They plan to make the cuts across the entire business and focus on the areas where the highest possible opportunities for growth exist. The employee count at the Waterloo, Ontario based business will be down to 17,000.

RIM did make an announcement last month saying they thought their quarterly revenue may fall for the first time in over nine years. Market share is slipping away and that is due in part from not introducing a new model of Blackberry since last August.

Less expensive phones are gaining ground in Asia, Europe and Latin America threatening Blackberry Curve’s popularity in the market. Their stock on Nasdaq was trading down on Monday morning and has fallen over 52% this year.

New senior management responsibilities were also handed out. Don Morrison, COO currently out on medical leave will retire, Thorsten Heins has been named COO for sales and product and Jim Rowan is COO of operations. Patrick Spence was appointed as global sales and marketing managing director.