Is QWERTY device to be delayed?

This is just a thought, so don't start all this "go away, stupid" and etc.

Why do I start worry about QWERTY device release date? If you know, so far developers had time to update/develop/optimize their apps using updated SDK. But the latest version, that supposed to add support of QWERTY keyboard is delayed (current status is TBD - to be decided?) So if developers have no access to SDK, there won't be any apps available for QWERTY devices, and there is no point to release it. Previous road map was scheduling that SDK update to the end of December (like 28 if I recall correctly). What're your thoughts?

As much as I keep reading about people switching to the full touch device, the physical keyboard is still essential to RIM and likely will be for a very long time to come. As RIM has always suggested that the X10 will be released sometime after the Z10 and as far as I know they've never come out with a firm release date but it's likely to be weeks after the touch device. I wouldn't panic, RIM is playing this quite shrewdly, they actually seem like they know what they're doing and that hasn't happened for quite some time.

As a developer for BB10 I'm not at all worried about this delay. Smart developers know that you will likely need to account for multiple screen resolutions and form factors and we take that into account when creating an app. When this SDK does come out it will only take a matter of hours for me to ensure that my apps work exactly how I want them to on the QWERTY form factor. Also, all native apps should automatically adjust to the new screen resolution so I wouldn't worry about whether there will apps for the QWERTY form factor but I would worry about whether developers have ensured that the app layout is corrected for the cramped space.

You have to look at the business side of this. RIM owns the qwerty market right now, but that market is shrinking and they are losing customers to all touch. QWERTY is becoming niche and the market has moved to all touch. With BB10 RIM hopes to attract people who left, or are enticed by all touch first. The QWERTY offering is to keep those people who won't give up the PKB, and that group is shrinking. So if it seems like the PKB is a secondary thought, it is, and its just business.

I've been a qwerty guy since the Treo 600 and I'll be getting an L, my first all touch phone.

Originally Posted by lnichols

I've been a qwerty guy since the Treo 600 and I'll be getting an L, my first all touch phone.

I'm exactly the opposite. Always have been a full touch guy, but lately consider to take QWERTY keyboard device (but I'll take also L series, it's too cool to skip :D)

Well, maybe this well help make sense of things:

Originally Posted by BerryReview

RIM has been doing a remarkable job of keeping developers in the loop when it comes to BlackBerry 10 tools. Their innovative arrival boards for SDK features has been great and one of our readers, BenH, pointed out a recent change on all of them. Recently all of the boards have had the �KEYBOARD SUPPORT� and similar releases move from the original DEC On-Time, to DEC Delayed and now to TBD PLANNING. Since Ben mentioned it to me I have had a few other devs point it out so I thought I might try and squash any rumors before they started.

I reached out to someone at RIM for clarification and it turns out that this was a strategic change RIM decided to make. They didn�t want to overwhelm developers with three SDK releases in one month going from Beta4 to Gold and then add the Beta6 Keyboard Beta release. The change was also made to align the SDK release with the Dev Alpha C program launch. They reconfirmed that the availability of both the all touch and physical keyboard phones will be announced on January 30th and nothing has changed with regard to the devices launch.

In other words RIM is trying to keep things chugging along nicely and we will be seeing a Keyboard Beta SDK update coming shortly in the new year.

Source: BlackBerry 10 Keyboard SDKs Coming in January - QWERTY Device on Schedule - BerryReview

Originally Posted by Plazmic Flame

Well, maybe this well help make sense of things:

Thanks a lot for this info

How can something without a release date be delayed?

Sent from my iPhone 4 using Tapatalk

People were right to "assume" a delay though because RIM has been giving timelines for the release of all their SDK APIs. If BB10 keyboard APIs have been delayed, rightly so, people have assumed this will affect the release of the actual device.

Originally Posted by bb10_fan

This is just a thought, so don't start all this "go away, stupid" and etc.

Why do I start worry about QWERTY device release date? If you know, so far developers had time to update/develop/optimize their apps using updated SDK. But the latest version, that supposed to add support of QWERTY keyboard is delayed (current status is TBD - to be decided?) So if developers have no access to SDK, there won't be any apps available for QWERTY devices, and there is no point to release it. Previous road map was scheduling that SDK update to the end of December (like 28 if I recall correctly). What're your thoughts?

It will be available soon after Z10 comes out

From these latest pictures we've just seen, I'm actually hoping it's delayed. This CAN'T be the final rendering of the latest QWERTY device. Seriously, they're launching a brand new and UNPROVEN OS. That being the case, a device HAS to be visually appealing to a buyer, so they do indeed try it out. Sure, iPhones are simple looking too, but IOS is already established and proven, which is why their user base sticks with them, no matter what Android does. I'm really disappointed if the device we currently see turns out to be it. If so, I'm holding out for a slider. And here I thought the straight QWERTY would've been easier and portable. Smh...

You are disappointed if they choose to go with a design that evokes their most popular line of devices?

They are delivering a device that is clearly targeted at those people who want to stick with a more iconic blackberry design so being more of an evolution is a sensible move for that one while the much bigger change comes with the l-series device that has to appeal to a wider audience.

Originally Posted by girl_Interrupted513

From these latest pictures we've just seen, I'm actually hoping it's delayed. This CAN'T be the final rendering of the latest QWERTY device. Seriously, they're launching a brand new and UNPROVEN OS. That being the case, a device HAS to be visually appealing to a buyer, so they do indeed try it out. Sure, iPhones are simple looking too, but IOS is already established and proven, which is why their user base sticks with them, no matter what Android does. I'm really disappointed if the device we currently see turns out to be it. If so, I'm holding out for a slider. And here I thought the straight QWERTY would've been easier and portable. Smh...

Absolutely right. The QWERTY keyboard version of the BlackBerry 10 smartphone should have always been the concept design BlackBerry Blade which has a large touch screen like the Z10 and a physical keyboard. The curved design of the BlackBerry Blade would have addressed the balance-in\ your-hand concern as well as proven to the marketplace that Research In Motion is ready for the future. The BlackBerry Bold 9900 style suggested by the latest photographs of the BlackBerry X10(?) is a stale design with a difficult to use touch screen. They could have released this smartphone ahead of the Z10 because it is so pathetic as to have not required a scintilla of innovative thought. The Dear Leader might be getting too full of himself at this stage and the same behaviour led RIM into the morass in which it has languished for the past 4 years.

Originally Posted by BB9700CA

Absolutely right. The QWERTY keyboard version of the BlackBerry 10 smartphone should have always been the concept design BlackBerry Blade which has a large touch screen like the Z10 and a physical keyboard. The curved design of the BlackBerry Blade would have addressed the balance-in\ your-hand concern as well as proven to the marketplace that Research In Motion is ready for the future. The BlackBerry Bold 9900 style suggested by the latest photographs of the BlackBerry X10(?) is a stale design with a difficult to use touch screen. They could have released this smartphone ahead of the Z10 because it is so pathetic as to have not required a scintilla of innovative thought. The Dear Leader might be getting too full of himself at this stage and the same behaviour led RIM into the morass in which it has languished for the past 4 years.

I completely agree. The Blade is just one in a long line of truly innovative design concepts that we've all seen. You have to give the designers of the concepts so much credit, for taking both the time, effort and imagination to create what they feel to be "superphones". As users of the platform, they know best what works with company developed models, what doesn't work, and what they themselves would like to see as an addition or enhancement to improve the user experience. It truly is sad, if RIM indeed intends to go with a reasonable facsimile of the garbage device we've seen, whether it's a Dev Alpha C or not. To me, it looks more like a Dev Alpha A!

Originally Posted by BB9700CA

Absolutely right. The QWERTY keyboard version of the BlackBerry 10 smartphone should have always been the concept design BlackBerry Blade which has a large touch screen like the Z10 and a physical keyboard. The curved design of the BlackBerry Blade would have addressed the balance-in\ your-hand concern as well as proven to the marketplace that Research In Motion is ready for the future. The BlackBerry Bold 9900 style suggested by the latest photographs of the BlackBerry X10(?) is a stale design with a difficult to use touch screen.

The blade design is a pretty enough picture, but there are plenty of reasons why it is not technically feasible which does tend to be a fairly important consideration for any hardware manufacturer when it comes to making a new device.

I am so glad that we have somebody here who has actually used the device as is evidenced by your knowledge of the touch screen being difficult to use, do you have anything else to tell us after using it. :rolleyes: