Research in Motion hopes to set tills ringing across the Middle East with the launch of its own dedicated BlackBerry retail stores.
The Canadian smartphone maker said it was opening stand-alone outlets as it aimed to capitalise on strong growth in the region, amid flagging global sales.
Sandeep Saighal, the Middle East managing director for Research in Motion (RIM), which makes BlackBerry handsets, said the first store would open in Dubai.
"We are in the final stages of negotiating a lease for the Dubai store and plan to open later this year," Mr Saighal said.
RIM confirmed it was considering launching stores in other Middle East markets, such as Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. It also said it would team up with the mobile-phone retailer Axiom for the launch of the branded stores. Axiom has 700 retail points across the Gulf region. Axiom did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The launch of dedicated BlackBerry stores marks a greater push by the company into the Middle East, where sales have held up better than in markets such as the United States and the United Kingdom.
Analysts said the dedicated stores could help BlackBerry retain its strong position in the regional smartphone market.
"The decision to set up a flagship store here in Dubai and in some other markets certainly makes sense," said Matthew Reed, a senior analyst at Informa Telecoms & Media.
"It could maintain and improve their strength in some of these emerging markets."
Mr Reed said the BlackBerry stores would allow the brand to demonstrate key features such as BlackBerry Messenger (BBM), and the PlayBook tablet, which has so far failed to rival the dominance of the Apple iPad.
However, Mr Reed added that the challenges for BlackBerry included retaining its reputation as a "prestigious brand", along with the competition it faced from new lower-priced smartphones.
RIM said 68 per cent of its business was now outside the North America and UK markets.
bflanagan@thenational.ae
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'My Son'
Director: Christian Carion
Starring: James McAvoy, Claire Foy, Tom Cullen, Gary Lewis
Rating: 2/5
Teachers' pay - what you need to know
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
Company%20Profile
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Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin
Director: Shawn Levy
Rating: 3/5
The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
Pros%20and%20cons%20of%20BNPL
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MATCH INFO
Norwich 0
Watford 2 (Deulofeu 2', Gray 52')
Red card: Christian Kabasele (WatforD)
A Cat, A Man, and Two Women
Junichiro Tamizaki
Translated by Paul McCarthy
Daunt Books
Confirmed%20bouts%20(more%20to%20be%20added)
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MORE ON INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Where to apply
Applicants should send their completed applications - CV, covering letter, sample(s) of your work, letter of recommendation - to Nick March, Assistant Editor in Chief at The National and UAE programme administrator for the Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism, by 5pm on April 30, 2020.
Please send applications to nmarch@thenational.ae and please mark the subject line as “Rosalynn Carter Fellowship for Mental Health Journalism (UAE programme application)”.
The local advisory board will consider all applications and will interview a short list of candidates in Abu Dhabi in June 2020. Successful candidates will be informed before July 30, 2020.
Company%20profile
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TRAP
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue
Director: M Night Shyamalan
Rating: 3/5
Bert van Marwijk factfile
Born: May 19 1952
Place of birth: Deventer, Netherlands
Playing position: Midfielder
Teams managed:
1998-2000 Fortuna Sittard
2000-2004 Feyenoord
2004-2006 Borussia Dortmund
2007-2008 Feyenoord
2008-2012 Netherlands
2013-2014 Hamburg
2015-2017 Saudi Arabia
2018 Australia
Major honours (manager):
2001/02 Uefa Cup, Feyenoord
2007/08 KNVB Cup, Feyenoord
World Cup runner-up, Netherlands