RIM and BlackBerry on the edge under new CEO

Heins, who joined the company that makes the BlackBerry in 2007 and took over the top job on Saturday when co-CEOs Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie resigned, said he wants to do a better job in rolling out innovative new products to get ahead of the competition. But he argued the company doesn't need seismic change.

Still, key shareholders and analysts alike signaled they are impatient for drastic improvement at a company that has lost market share and market value after being comprehensively outplayed by the likes of Apple and Google.

"If Thorsten really believes that there are no changes to be made, he will be gone within 15 to 18 months. He will be a transitional CEO and this will be a transitional board," said Jaguar CEO Vic Alboini, who leads an informal group of 16 RIM shareholders holding just under 10 percent of the company's shares.