1. Axacta's Avatar
    It's pretty easy to say fight on when the company is spending someone else's money. What are you in for? A few smartphones? If your plan involves spending shareholder money then you've got to consider the alternative plan of cashing it all in. The fact is that most Blackberry shareholders probably don't care whether or not the company stays in the smartphone business.
    Why not go down with a fight? Who knows - maybe BB can be turned around with a can-do attitude (I think it can). Investors invest to make money, not to give up. Investors also know that there is always risk. Any investors in BB right now better know their risk, or maybe they would be smarter to keep their money under their mattress.
    04-15-14 02:39 PM
  2. Dunt Dunt Dunt's Avatar
    OK. You say I have "some good ideas" but money is the problem. No doubt. That is why I suggest BB focus on a niche of the market instead of competing directly with (and getting clobbered by) the big consumer brands.

    Do you have any alternative ideas, or should Mr. Chen just throw up his hands, close shop and go home?
    To be honest these points have been debated here for much longer than you have been around apparently. And I'm not going to pretend I know the answer for fixing BlackBerry's problems - because they are problems with a big S. But the big issue at this point is money is required for whatever they do... spend a billion on marketing a device that people don't really want (consumers or business) and all you have done is shorten the amount of time they have left to operate by 6 - 8 months. Launch new devices that aren't much different in function and price point than existing devices... does what for enterprise? But it does cost BlackBerry money (and at $19 per year to license a BB10 device, BlackBerry needs to make money on the devices), so they have to be sure (or at least hope a whole bunch) that a new device is going to do something it's predecessor couldn't.

    Thor talked about Enterprise, Chen has talked about Enterprise, Kevin has talked about Enterprise, Chris has talked about Enterprise... Enterprise is not a new subject. They problem is Enterprise does not seem to be talking much about BlackBerry....

    No Chen should never give up, it's not in the Job Description.... but that doesn't mean we as fans and consumers can't be honest and recognize that barring a new innovation from BlackBerry... at some point in the next 18 months he is going to have to close shop (the part we care about) and go home.
    04-15-14 02:58 PM
  3. early2bed's Avatar
    Why not go down with a fight? Who knows - maybe BB can be turned around with a can-do attitude (I think it can). Investors invest to make money, not to give up. Investors also know that there is always risk. Any investors in BB right now better know their risk, or maybe they would be smarter to keep their money under their mattress.
    I'll make you a deal. If you can somehow get an appointment with Prem Watsa to show him your plan for the hundreds of millions he has in Blackberry, I'll foot the bill for all of your expenses. I'm serious.
    04-15-14 03:06 PM
  4. Axacta's Avatar
    To be honest these points have been debated here for much longer than you have been around apparently. And I'm not going to pretend I know the answer for fixing BlackBerry's problems - because they are problems with a big S. But the big issue at this point is money is required for whatever they do... spend a billion on marketing a device that people don't really want (consumers or business) and all you have done is shorten the amount of time they have left to operate by 6 - 8 months. Launch new devices that aren't much different in function and price point than existing devices... does what for enterprise? But it does cost BlackBerry money (and at $19 per year to license a BB10 device, BlackBerry needs to make money on the devices), so they have to be sure (or at least hope a whole bunch) that a new device is going to do something it's predecessor couldn't.

    Thor talked about Enterprise, Chen has talked about Enterprise, Kevin has talked about Enterprise, Chris has talked about Enterprise... Enterprise is not a new subject. They problem is Enterprise does not seem to be talking much about BlackBerry....

    No Chen should never give up, it's not in the Job Description.... but that doesn't mean we as fans and consumers can't be honest and recognize that barring a new innovation from BlackBerry... at some point in the next 18 months he is going to have to close shop (the part we care about) and go home.
    OK, so let's say they have "18 months". I am offering something new that will not mean competing directly with Samsung, Apple, LG, etc. Smartphones are unique in entertainment/electronic devices in that there are no extremely high quality/expensive offerings. That BB10 and QNX is cutting edge software, the next step is to offer unique very high quality hardware, service and warrantee. There is always a niche market for the very high end with very high prices - look at hi fi or watches. BB can fill that void.
    04-15-14 03:11 PM
  5. Axacta's Avatar
    I'll make you a deal. If you can somehow get an appointment with Prem Watsa to show him your plan for the hundreds of millions he has in Blackberry, I'll foot the bill for all of your expenses. I'm serious.
    Sorry. I am only doing this to pass the time as I daytrade. Send Prem an email with a link to this thread. I don't care about BlackBerry that much.
    04-15-14 03:17 PM
  6. early2bed's Avatar
    Sorry. I am only doing this to pass the time as I daytrade. Send Prem an email with a link to this thread. I don't care about BlackBerry that much.
    I understand I guess my point is that your aggressive plan is kind of like me watching my favorite football team on fourth down and one yard to go on the 50 yard line. I want the to go for it every time because it's exciting. However, the coaches are the ones who make their living playing the game and get fired at the end of the season while I pick a new team for the playoffs.
    04-15-14 04:05 PM
  7. Axacta's Avatar
    I understand I guess my point is that your aggressive plan is kind of like me watching my favorite football team on fourth down and one yard to go on the 50 yard line. I want the to go for it every time because it's exciting. However, the coaches are the ones who make their living playing the game and get fired at the end of the season while I pick a new team for the playoffs.
    Except that this is quite possibly the last minute of the fourth quarter and BB is down by six. There really is no choice but to go for it. More of what they have done for the last two years sure looks like a losing strategy to me. The overall consumer market is out of BB's reach. It's time to find a niche or two in which to establish some reach.
    04-15-14 04:17 PM
  8. nabil114's Avatar
    Why should enterprise phones be high-end? Aren't the current high-end features more consumer-oriented like high pixel density, better cameras, thinner bodies? Wouldn't enterprise customers be interested in lower priced smartphones?
    Ultra-premium phones like Vertu
    04-15-14 06:45 PM
  9. Troy Tiscareno's Avatar
    Ultra-premium phones like Vertu
    Which enterprise customers are buying Vertu phones? AFAIK, they're mainly purchased by the very wealthy, and in small numbers. Also, being Android phones, they have full access to the complete Android ecosystem, something BB can not offer, even with 10.2.1.

    The truth is that most companies either buy consumer flagship phones (iPhone 5s/Galaxy S5-class, around $600 retail), or they buy a few of those for execs and then buy entry-level phones for everyone else. I don't know of any big or well-known company issuing "ultra-premium" phones to employees.
    04-15-14 11:08 PM
  10. Supa_Fly1's Avatar
    I agree with almost Everything our host said and I've been saying many of these items since early 2013!

    Some adjustments:

    1. Focusing on Enterprise solutions;
    This means their end to end solution for productivity, reliability, security, remote management, communications, and finally quality. I'll explain
    - BBM has always been used by corporations until consumers figured out its power in the early 2000's and then corps shied away from it fearing security leaks. EBBM alleviates all concerns - but shouldn't be an extra cost to BES10/12 connected BlackBerry branded devices; minimal cost to Android/iOS devices connected to BES10/12 would be a slight deterrent to using those devices either way more money in BlackBerry's pockets either way.

    - when was the last time anyone of us really seen quality through and through in ANY of BlackBerry's products? Q10 was it and no over 650 posts here alone about sensitive or double key entry for 1 press, Z10 odd battery life, Z30 looking promising. BlackBerry and Foxconn can really customize specific production devices using high end quality materials, like double thickness, triple weaved (pressed) glass-weeve BB10 devices throughout the shell, magnesium outter rim. (pun luckily intended) make these specific to your largest partners and customers - think a government specific production device. They have the demand and the coffer$$! So bring it!

    Expand I to larger more lucrative enterprise markers as an end to end or services solution.
    - buying in partnership that recent health company is a little expensive & too soon, almost asinine really. There is no immediate win, more costs down the road to see any gain and it's a frivolous expenditure.
    - why the FRAK is QNX Cloud taking so long to launch officially, get a paying client and multiple short term trail clients?! Oh yeah you have a lazy arse VP running the show based on previous and rapidly dropping performance of developers signing onto BB10. We'll see what happens as every month th ticks by; I pray I'm vastly shutten up about this VERY soon!!

    BlackBerry expand you QNX Cloud... you've already used a full year/season with F1 AMG / MERCEDES / Petronas and NO announcement other than branding and using BB10 devices?! most F1 fans across the globe don't care who is using a BB10 device to BBM in channels or make calls or BBM to fans. They want to see something spectacular!!
    - where is the Mercedes announcement to using QNX Cloud?! Where is QNX previous work on the corvette to be leveraged in their upcoming PDR (Performance Data Recorder) on the upcoming C7 Z06?!!! Mapping, BBM , QNX architecture and experience could be heavily leveraged with QNX Cloud, partners with gas stations, firmware updates to sat nav in star etc!! I swear if Chen was here I'm punch out because of lack of movement on this front.

    Hardware: 2 high end Full qwerty and touch screen devices - different configurations for each different screen sizes. Redo the Q10; not make some garbage hybrid called the Q20 which will cost more $$ for manuals, time on help Blog, training for employees in all aspects of the business, and more - might I add co$tly - confusion to existing and future customers!!

    So NOT bring back legacy devices. Let them die!! For good reason the old stubborn users will either retire and waste time golfing, fishing or dieing off - OR will upgrade to the BB10 device lineup; because it's a HELL of a lot cheaper to upgrade features in software than sending hardware experts from a failed production line product and paying cancellation fees to Celestica for restarting that product again.

    This is the world of perception and show and tell!!
    1. If it do T make dollars it don't make sense! (DJ Quick).
    2. You ain't saying nothing then there BE nothing! (ghetto streets) No announcements, means nothing is being done! The more announcement to and deals announced and at a faster rate add to this press tidbits on R&D hints of what you're working on but be generic enough to be too vague for the competition to steal spotlight and the press will begin announcing hallowed chants in your favor not against you like the past 3 years!

    PS: you don't like the hip hop references sorry but hip hop artists are entrepreneurs proven as they take big risks for big gains in their big goals; bloomers has an article on this and it's time BlackBerry start their goals, ambitions, and their words to agree!

    Again no more legacy bull devices. Implement a more cohesive UI behaviour, implement the remaining feature set not hardware into BB10 and make it efficiently to use! Make your design staff, executives and QNX team in EMM to use BlackBerry 10 devices exclusively for 45 days to get THEIR stuff done! No computers no cheating of any kind! You'll quickly see where BB10 needs improvement and where it lacks in the most glaring areas and where it excels! Then brainstorm together and implement it! Use the leak community the beta community with warranty supported even extended to help get it right! To get it right means like the Flow and Hub. It it's not that simple nor intuitive and cohesive you've failed!!

    Example : Flow works in both landscape and portrait modes regardless of the app display orientation BUT the home app grid doesn't follow orientation nor does the Flow work to get into the hub from landscape mode!!! BB10 is supposed to be a mobile platform not an accessory to a desktop simple things like this is glaring!!!!!!

    Internal developers are working on Qt5 something for 10.3 and all this other ****e but what does that really do for me the consumer, the BES administrator, the executive, the QNX Team member or the USA Government?!!?? And yet they cannot fix BlackBerry flow universal implementation, BlackBerry browser sync bookmarks with Safari, Chrome, Firefox?!!!

    Who do I need to Smack and BlackBerry to seriously resolve these glaring mishaps in judgment!

    BlackBerry Q10 ? & Full Metal CB10!
    04-16-14 01:42 AM
  11. Axacta's Avatar
    I agree with almost Everything our host said
    Thank you.

    Nice rant, even though some of the controversies you refer to went right over my head. But that's OK. Put your focused passion together with my plan and maybe BB could be turned around!
    04-16-14 09:07 AM
  12. Dunt Dunt Dunt's Avatar
    OK, so let's say they have "18 months". I am offering something new that will not mean competing directly with Samsung, Apple, LG, etc. Smartphones are unique in entertainment/electronic devices in that there are no extremely high quality/expensive offerings. That BB10 and QNX is cutting edge software, the next step is to offer unique very high quality hardware, service and warrantee. There is always a niche market for the very high end with very high prices - look at hi fi or watches. BB can fill that void.
    Sorry... what are you offering that is NEW? And how does it avoid competing?

    NONE of your eight points are new to this forum, many where discussed long before BB10 was BB10. And if you believe that Samsung, Apple and Microsoft are ignoring the Enterprise "niche"..... it's time to wake up.

    As for the very high end and very high prices... Yes some rich people will pay for a Brand only. But Enterprise, you have to provide something that they must have but can't get anywhere else. So if your company needs top of the line DOD security... sure BlackBerry will fit that "niche" and maybe they should charge more for that security. But for many GOOD is good enough... so higher prices will just price you out of the market.

    Also people pay for BRANDS that are seen as premium... BlackBerry's Brand is far from a premium brand (outside of the CrackBerry world).
    04-17-14 09:11 AM
  13. Axacta's Avatar
    Sorry... what are you offering that is NEW? And how does it avoid competing?
    Apple, Samsung, LG, etc. do not make very high end phones.

    NONE of your eight points are new to this forum, many where discussed long before BB10 was BB10. And if you believe that Samsung, Apple and Microsoft are ignoring the Enterprise "niche"..... it's time to wake up.
    I never claimed that any of my eight points are new. And I am not offering eight individual points - I'm offering a plan.

    I never claimed that Samsung, Apple and Microsoft are ignoring the enterprise market.

    As for the very high end and very high prices... Yes some rich people will pay for a Brand only. But Enterprise, you have to provide something that they must have but can't get anywhere else. So if your company needs top of the line DOD security... sure BlackBerry will fit that "niche" and maybe they should charge more for that security. But for many GOOD is good enough... so higher prices will just price you out of the market.
    You have confused some parts of the plan with others - please reread.

    Also people pay for BRANDS that are seen as premium... BlackBerry's Brand is far from a premium brand (outside of the CrackBerry world).
    That is why I added that the two top phones be labelled as QNX phones.

    Again - you seem not to have understood what I wrote, mixing separate things together. I suggest that you reread the whole plan and not just internet skim-read like you apparently did the first time. I also added a few important clarifying points in subsequent posts.

    (Why do you come across as irritated with what I presented? If it really bothers you, perhaps you should focus on other threads that won't irritate you so much.)
    04-17-14 05:31 PM
  14. CHIP72's Avatar
    I personally think John Chen DOES have a pretty clear vision of what he thinks Blackberry needs to do. He thinks Blackberry needs to focus on services (all customers) and security (companies in particular). He also thinks Blackberry shouldn't stay in the hardware business if the company can't become profitable in that segment in the fairly near future. Pretty much all of his actions and words - cross-platform BBM, buying a minority stake in a company that's in a security-focused field, outsourcing manufacturing to Foxconn - are consistent with those goals.

    IMO John Chen's goal is to make Blackberry profitable as soon as possible and to that profitability sustainable. Achieving that goal does not necessarily mean Blackberry will stay in the smartphone hardware or smartphone platform support business beyond the short term.
    04-18-14 10:42 PM
  15. Axacta's Avatar
    I personally think John Chen DOES have a pretty clear vision of what he thinks Blackberry needs to do. He thinks Blackberry needs to focus on services (all customers) and security (companies in particular). He also thinks Blackberry shouldn't stay in the hardware business if the company can't become profitable in that segment in the fairly near future. Pretty much all of his actions and words - cross-platform BBM, buying a minority stake in a company that's in a security-focused field, outsourcing manufacturing to Foxconn - are consistent with those goals.

    IMO John Chen's goal is to make Blackberry profitable as soon as possible and to that profitability sustainable. Achieving that goal does not necessarily mean Blackberry will stay in the smartphone hardware or smartphone platform support business beyond the short term.
    Maybe he has a "pretty clear vision", but does he have a plan? Visions are pictures of where you want to be somewhere in the future. They don't tell you how to get there. I don't know if he has a plan - do you? Honestly, I don't know what are his ideas and what are just extensions of what his predecessor was doing. Investors don't seem to be too thrilled with his "vision" (if they can see it - I don't). After a few months of giving him the benefit of the doubt the stock price is on a decided plunge - this isn't just a small correction. It formed a double top at major resistance and is now dancing on its last level of support above its December low. I only daytrade, but if I was an investor I'd be pretty nervous. In fact, if I was a swing trader I probably would have shorted that double top (which I think a lot of swing traders did).

    Maybe he should lay out his own eight point plan. That might give us a clearer picture of his vision for the company and get the shorts to back off.
    04-18-14 11:25 PM
  16. Dunt Dunt Dunt's Avatar
    Maybe he should lay out his own eight point plan. That might give us a clearer picture of his vision for the company and get the shorts to back off.
    When you look at what he has said, his plans seem to change month by month... not saying that being flexible is bad, just that real direction is needed at some point or you go nowhere.

    Enterprises
    Prosumers
    BBM
    Services
    QNX
    Low end devices
    BBOS makes comeback
    Classic devices

    Nothing wrong with doing them all, if you are capable of giving them all your best effort. Just don't really see anything... different from what they have always done.

    Posted via CB10
    04-21-14 05:39 PM
  17. CHIP72's Avatar
    Maybe he has a "pretty clear vision", but does he have a plan? Visions are pictures of where you want to be somewhere in the future. They don't tell you how to get there. I don't know if he has a plan - do you? Honestly, I don't know what are his ideas and what are just extensions of what his predecessor was doing. Investors don't seem to be too thrilled with his "vision" (if they can see it - I don't). After a few months of giving him the benefit of the doubt the stock price is on a decided plunge - this isn't just a small correction. It formed a double top at major resistance and is now dancing on its last level of support above its December low. I only daytrade, but if I was an investor I'd be pretty nervous. In fact, if I was a swing trader I probably would have shorted that double top (which I think a lot of swing traders did).

    Maybe he should lay out his own eight point plan. That might give us a clearer picture of his vision for the company and get the shorts to back off.
    The reasons why Chen hasn't outlined his plan IMO are 1) he wants to see if Blackberry can be a viable player in the hardware space (I personally think Chen thinks they cannot) and 2) he knows there will be backlash if he announces a Blackberry will be pulling out of hardware, even if that is the best solution for long-term survival.

    I was just thinking about this today, but typically in the technology sector companies that produce hardware and operating systems don't switch gears without going bankrupt first. The few companies that have made the transition (Sega is one of the very few that comes to mind) typically become less visible and also hurt themselves on the software/services side. Blackberry is between a rock and a hard place, and it is going to be tricky to pull off whatever plan Chen and the Blackberry brass have in mind.


    Sent from my iPhone using CB Forums mobile app
    04-21-14 06:14 PM
  18. Dunt Dunt Dunt's Avatar
    The reasons why Chen hasn't outlined his plan IMO are 1) he wants to see if Blackberry can be a viable player in the hardware space (I personally think Chen thinks they cannot) and 2) he knows there will be backlash if he announces a Blackberry will be pulling out of hardware, even if that is the best solution for long-term survival.

    I was just thinking about this today, but typically in the technology sector companies that produce hardware and operating systems don't switch gears without going bankrupt first. The few companies that have made the transition (Sega is one of the very few that comes to mind) typically become less visible and also hurt themselves on the software/services side. Blackberry is between a rock and a hard place, and it is going to be tricky to pull off whatever plan Chen and the Blackberry brass have in mind.
    I think in the beginning Chen might have wanted to get rid of Hardware. But after getting familiar with the company and how it makes money, and how the Mobile Device Management Sector is changing. I think he figured out that without the Hardware to drive BES usage... companies just might not use it. And Software and Services is a pretty small portion of their current revenues, and MUCH of that has got to be BIS fees that BlackBerry is collecting from carriers. Which is why Chen is embracing BBOS again - short term strategy to milk that market for as much as they can. Sure as those networks develop the users there may want the faster speeds and more versatile OS that more developed markets have (BB10?)... but for now BIS devices fit and BlackBerry can make money.

    When Chen first came on board there was a lot of hope for BBM becoming a major part of the future of BlackBerry.... if it happens, it is going to be a much longer process than hoped for. And QNX is a shinning star that is growing and branching out.... but it is currently only a revenue trickle. Maybe BlackBerry can become a Software and Services company at some point... just right now that segment is not large enough to support the current company. And with that portion of the business currently shrinking each quarter (most likely due to fewer and fewer BES/BIS subscribers) it just doesn't make sense to go all in of Software and Services. He has figured out that BlackBerry is a hardware company - live or die.
    04-22-14 08:40 AM
  19. Axacta's Avatar
    I think in the beginning Chen might have wanted to get rid of Hardware. But after getting familiar with the company and how it makes money, and how the Mobile Device Management Sector is changing. I think he figured out that without the Hardware to drive BES usage... companies just might not use it. And Software and Services is a pretty small portion of their current revenues, and MUCH of that has got to be BIS fees that BlackBerry is collecting from carriers. Which is why Chen is embracing BBOS again - short term strategy to milk that market for as much as they can. Sure as those networks develop the users there may want the faster speeds and more versatile OS that more developed markets have (BB10?)... but for now BIS devices fit and BlackBerry can make money.

    When Chen first came on board there was a lot of hope for BBM becoming a major part of the future of BlackBerry.... if it happens, it is going to be a much longer process than hoped for. And QNX is a shinning star that is growing and branching out.... but it is currently only a revenue trickle. Maybe BlackBerry can become a Software and Services company at some point... just right now that segment is not large enough to support the current company. And with that portion of the business currently shrinking each quarter (most likely due to fewer and fewer BES/BIS subscribers) it just doesn't make sense to go all in of Software and Services. He has figured out that BlackBerry is a hardware company - live or die.
    Good points.

    The Z3 looks promising as a device that may sell in mass and produce a revenue stream. Can Foxconn and BB become competitive in the low-end market and steal away some market share from the big boys? We'll see.

    The Z10, Z30, Q10 and Q5 are all a waste of resources at this point. The Q20 should be the last keyboard phone for awhile. BB should design a $2,000 to $5,000 kickass all-touch device with all of the bells and whistles they've got (with a high profit margin). There are a lot of people with money that spend it on the best of things. BB needs to take advantage of that before other companies do. Establish QNX phones as the Rolls Royce of phones.
    04-22-14 09:47 AM
  20. Axacta's Avatar
    The reasons why Chen hasn't outlined his plan IMO are 1) he wants to see if Blackberry can be a viable player in the hardware space (I personally think Chen thinks they cannot) and 2) he knows there will be backlash if he announces a Blackberry will be pulling out of hardware, even if that is the best solution for long-term survival.

    I was just thinking about this today, but typically in the technology sector companies that produce hardware and operating systems don't switch gears without going bankrupt first. The few companies that have made the transition (Sega is one of the very few that comes to mind) typically become less visible and also hurt themselves on the software/services side. Blackberry is between a rock and a hard place, and it is going to be tricky to pull off whatever plan Chen and the Blackberry brass have in mind.


    Sent from my iPhone using CB Forums mobile app
    I think you read between the lines what isn't there. It has been established that Mr.Chen never said that he would take BB out of the device market - it was a misleading headline of what he actually said. Has he been unclear about his intentions? You bet. That's where these misinterpretations have started. Besides having a plan problem, Mr. Chen also has a communication problem. But I see no indication that BB will stop producing phones in the next two to three years (which could be the life-span of the company). The question is, which phones?

    BB has a market following already in low-end phones - legacy devices. The Z3 seems like it may be a good start on establishing BB10 as a replacement for low-end legacy devices.

    The fact that the Z30 wins virtually every head to head comparison with the other best phones in the market illustrates that BB10 is a far superior OS to Android, iPhone and WP (especially when you consider that the Z30 hardware specs are mostly well under those other phones). This offers an opportunity to corner the very high-end market.

    Since BB cannot currently compete in medium to high-end market, they should not waste resources on it, except to offer highly specialized Enterprise phones to be manufactured in batches for Enterprise contracts.
    04-22-14 10:30 AM
  21. skibnik's Avatar
    Good points.

    The Z3 looks promising as a device that may sell in mass and produce a revenue stream. Can Foxconn and BB become competitive in the low-end market and steal away some market share from the big boys? We'll see.

    The Z10, Z30, Q10 and Q5 are all a waste of resources at this point. The Q20 should be the last keyboard phone for awhile. BB should design a $2,000 to $5,000 kickass all-touch device with all of the bells and whistles they've got (with a high profit margin). There are a lot of people with money that spend it on the best of things. BB needs to take advantage of that before other companies do. Establish QNX phones as the Rolls Royce of phones.
    No matter how high a profit margin a phone may bring in if no one buys it how will you make money? There are a lot less people out there today that can afford a $2000 + purchase since the economic collapse. Case in point how successful is the Porche design BB10?

    Z30 and loving it!
    04-22-14 12:23 PM
  22. Axacta's Avatar
    No matter how high a profit margin a phone may bring in if no one buys it how will you make money? There are a lot less people out there today that can afford a $2000 + purchase since the economic collapse. Case in point how successful is the Porche design BB10?

    Z30 and loving it!
    The Porche is bling, not a very high-end phone.

    Actually it is the upper income group that is thriving - take a look at the S & P 500 since the 2008 crash. It's the middle class and below that are getting pounded.

    Do you realize that there are many companies that make turntables for vinyl LPs that cost over $10,000. And that does not include the tonearm - another $2,000 to $5,000 - and the stylus - another $2,000 to $5,000. Cables are another $1,000 to $3,000. I personally own a vacuum tube CD player that originally listed at $18,000. My preamp listed at $5,000. My video projector listed at $11,000. etc.,etc. Drop into any high-end hi fi store and you will be amazed at the cost of the equipment that sells everyday. Every high-end store has flagship speakers that you can sit and listen to in the store worth anywhere from $50,000 to $100,000 per pair - and they sell!

    There are a lot of high end electronic manufacturers that sell very expensive niche equipment that have been making money for decades. But no one does that with smartphones - yet. There will be. And there is no reason why BB can't be the first, especially since they have best OS on the market.
    04-22-14 01:15 PM
  23. skibnik's Avatar
    The Porche is bling, not a very high-end phone.

    Actually it is the upper income group that is thriving - take a look at the S & P 500 since the 2008 crash. It's the middle class and below that are getting pounded.

    Do you realize that there are many companies that make turntables for vinyl LPs that cost over $10,000. And that does not include the tonearm - another $2,000 to $5,000 - and the stylus - another $2,000 to $5,000. Cables are another $1,000 to $3,000. I personally own a vacuum tube CD player that originally listed at $18,000. My preamp listed at $5,000. My video projector listed at $11,000. etc.,etc. Drop into any high-end hi fi store and you will be amazed at the cost of the equipment that sells everyday. Every high-end store has flagship speakers that you can sit and listen to in the store worth anywhere from $50,000 to $100,000 per pair - and they sell!

    There are a lot of high end electronic manufacturers that sell very expensive niche equipment that have been making money for decades. But no one does that with smartphones - yet. There will be. And there is no reason why BB can't be the first, especially since they have best OS on the market.
    Your assuming the BlackBerry brand is still considered a status symbol unfortunately Apple has taken that and why they can sell a mediocre phone for $950. As for high end stereo equipment those manufacturers have diverse holdings they don't just produce one product the bulk of their profits come from their mainstream products not their niche products. BlackBerry at the moment doesn't have the money or resources to release a niche phone its the main reason a BB10 slider phone hasn't been released.

    Z30 and loving it!
    04-22-14 02:23 PM
  24. Axacta's Avatar
    Your assuming the BlackBerry brand is still considered a status symbol unfortunately Apple has taken that and why they can sell a mediocre phone for $950.
    I have mentioned this a number of times - did you not read the thread? I said that BB should label their high-end phones QNX. And Apple does not make a very high-end phone.

    As for high end stereo equipment those manufacturers have diverse holdings they don't just produce one product the bulk of their profits come from their mainstream products not their niche products.
    You obviously know nothing about hi-end hi fi. Virtually every high-end hi-fi manufacturer specializes in certain products, all hi fi related.

    BlackBerry at the moment doesn't have the money or resources to release a niche phone its the main reason a BB10 slider phone hasn't been released.
    How could you possibly know where their resources are allotted and how they might be rearranged?

    You are out of your depth here. You have no idea that the upper income bracket has done very well since the 2008 financial crisis. And you think that Sony, Panasonic and Toshiba are typical of high-end hi fi. LOL!
    04-22-14 03:24 PM
  25. rickster2611's Avatar
    BlackBerry has wasted an opportunity with The Astonishing Tribe.

    BlackBerry has lost the 'WOW ' factor.

    They need a 'Lord of the Rings 'device. One to rule them all.

    Apple has the IPhone /iPad.

    Samsung has the Galaxy range S3 and upwards.

    Microsoft/ Nokia has the Lumia range.

    Google has the Nexus range.

    Sony has the Experia Z range .

    We need some Gengis Khan type ruthlessness.

    Time to drive up standards and specifications.

    Over to you Mr Chen.

    BlackBerry...Get it done!!! �



    Posted via CB10
    Axacta likes this.
    04-23-14 06:45 AM
50 12

Similar Threads

  1. Am I allowed Internet hot spot on my plan
    By farmwersteve in forum General Carrier Discussion
    Replies: 8
    Last Post: 05-29-14, 09:37 AM
  2. Good article For improving BB10 Voice Assistance
    By dikku11 in forum General BlackBerry News, Discussion & Rumors
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 04-15-14, 09:01 AM
LINK TO POST COPIED TO CLIPBOARD