Research in Motion to open retail stores in Middle East
Posted April 12, 2012 12:20 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Research in Motion is following Apple’s business handbook, preparing to open retail stores across the Middle East.
RIM is focused on regions where sales are strong, opening their first store in Dubai and expanding from there to other cities, according to the managing director for RIM’s local operations.
The BlackBerry maker is counting on first-time smartphone buyers in the Middle East, Africa and Asia. In these regions, the company is showing sales which more than doubled in the latest quarter, outselling the iPhone by a margin of 4 to 1.
RIM’s push into the area mimics the strategy of Apple. However, analysts said the company still needs to produce new and improved products.
RIM continues to face increased competition from low-cost Chinese manufacturers making smartphones which operate on Google’s Android software.