After two days of bleeding on the stock market in the wake of its disappointing quarterly results, BlackBerry maker Research In Motion (RIM) has laid off 200 employees at its headquarters in Waterloo. Though RIM didn't confirm job cuts and 200 "manufacturing" employees were issued pink slips when they arrived for work at the RIM headquarters. Of RIM's 17,500 employees worldwide, about 9,000 work at its headquarters and regional offices around its hub.
The BlackBerry maker had announced "cost-optimization programme'' May 28 after announcing its first quarterly results which saw its revenue slip to $4.9 billion from $5.6 billion in the same period a year ago. RIM profits also shrank to $695 million from $769 million during the same period last year.
They said RIM's near-term prospects don't look bright as it is way behind in updating its ageing BlackBerry handsets, with Apple and Google Android devices fast grabbing its market share.
