Will RIM Die or Thrive in 2013?

In the video below, Fool tech and telecom analyst Eric Bleeker discusses the prospects for handset maker Research In Motion (BB -0.69%) in 2013.

The rapid pace of technological innovation can cut both ways for companies involved. A onetime industry leader in mobile, RIM now finds itself struggling. All hope may not be lost, but no company operating in mobile has ever recovered from running negative operating profits, Eric says.

One key concern for RIM is its collection of fees for services like BlackBerry Messenger. The company collects about $5 per handset in these fees, and they are making up an increasingly large percentage of its revenues. It now makes up some 35% of sales.

But with the new BB10 operating system, these fees become variable. That's potentially game-changing. It means many of its users may not have to pay these fees at all. That's reason for concern for Eric, who says he'd either avoid RIM altogether or even consider shorting the stock.