Most of the people around me use iphone or Samsung smartphones, which means that Blackberry does not have a relatively large market share in the mobile phone market in recent years. To improve this problem, Blackberry releases an innovative smartphone that is called “the Passport”. I think it could save Blackberry for the following reasons:

1. The features of most smartphones are having touch-screen and bigger size, so the appearances of them are similar. However, Blackberry still has keyboard, which differentiates itself from the competition. Also, this feature can attract someone who prefers using physical keyboard. (Having its own characteristics are really important, which could be one way to position itself and attract a segment of customers.)
2. According to the news article, the Passport “focus on users that need to be ‘highly productive and very effective and are concerned about security and just getting a lot done securely.’” It means that it targets a segment of customers (business customers), so that it could be more popular among these people than other smartphones.
3. Although the appearance of the Passport is a little strange (it has a very square screen), it is easier for you to read complex documents and looking at PowerPoint. So that it meets the needs of business customers. (People may need time to get used to this special screen, which might cause the Passport not that popular in the short run. However, this unique appearance could be an innovation in the long run.)
4. Iphone6 and Iphone6 plus were also released in these days. Nevertheless, the Passport is competitive in price. (It only costs $599.)
   

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I heard that there were so many Chinese people waiting outside the Apple Store for buying iphone6 in Vancouver two days before the sale of iphone6. Most of them bought iphone for smuggling and making money, which is similar to the fact that is mentioned in the news “Chinese smugglers make big bucks on iPhone 6”. Here is my thought after I reading this news:

• Some people in China are loyal to the brand of “Apple”, so they are willing to pay $1,800 for iphone6, in order to be the first users, which let smugglers make big bucks.
• China offers a huge market to Apple. All the other “Apple” products sell well in China, including iphone5 and iphone5s. I predict that iphone6 will also be popular later.
• Chinese economy increases rapidly, so more people have the ability to buy the products like iphone6 and other advanced things.
• The regulation in China is not rigorous enough. That’s why smugglers have the chance to make money by the way of selling iphone6 in higher price.
• Many people in China still prefer to buy products with brand popularity and reputation. Therefore, iphone6 can be so popular. However, increasing number of people change their concepts and they are going to buy “Xiaomi” that has the similar function as iphone, but it is much cheaper. In the future, Apple may have more competitors in Chinese smart phone market, because the change of people’s concepts, as well as the improvement of Chinese technology.

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