[donnation]

Isn't one of the things that we love about Blackberry the keyboard? And RIM is making their first BB10 phone an all touchscreen device? Can someone please help me understand why they would do this?

[cntrydncr223]

My guess would be to try to capture more consumers, imitate or compete with the iphone and droid.

[kmcobra64]

A few reasons.

1) The playbook is essentially the testbed for this phone. In order for everything to translate effortlessly to the phone it is easier to make it a mini-playbook

2) The new os navigation (i think) lends itself more to a touch screen style device. The fact that bb10 phones dont need any physical buttons is both awesome and elegant and a real statement about the thought and hard work that went into this intuitive os

3) And most importantly, like it or not, thats what sells - and rim wants to get a piece of that. But dont you worry, a qwerty bb10 should be out shortly thereafter.

[SnoozerBold]

People want larger screens for media that are all touch.
Personally I don't, I'm happy with the Bold line. It works for me and I love my 9790 but with RIM losing market share in the US to Android an Apple if they want to compete they have to give people what that want. Touch screen devices.
Don't worry though I don't think they'll drop the keyboard all together. RIM has always had a number of different designs and I think there are enough of us that they will still produce them.
But in a nutshell, they need to compete.

[gregorylkelly]

Because the current OS is good enough for a keyboard device with a small screen that is targeted towards business people. However, the current OS is terrible for an all touch screen device. Add in the fact that OS10 is PERFECT for an all touch screen device and you can see the need to release a touch screen BBX phone first.

[PathogenicPus]

I currently carry three devices with me all day long:

A Samsung Focus
A Blackberry 9300
A Samsung Galaxy Infuse

I like (and carry) all three for different reasons, but my hope is that RIM releases a device that will do everything the best so that I don't need to carry all three. Currently, the only thing that I don't like about the London personally is the fact that it is so thin. I am not sure what focus groups are telling RIM that they need slimmer phones at the expense of a multi-day battery and Auto Focus, not to mention a better, more comfortable feel, but I am not a huge fan of how thin the London looks.

I am willing to see what RIM can do with an all touch device (the Curve 9380 doesn't count IMO) and if they can get the touch screen keyboard and auto correct to be as good as the Samsung Focus I would be willing to forget the tactile keyboard.

By the way, the reason I carry around the Curve 9300 is I just love the feel of that phone.. too bad it doesn't have a good camera - but as a straight up messaging device, I love it.

[johnenglish]

RIM has said for about a year that their first QNX based phone would be a high end all touchscreen device.

Consumer phones are all touchscreen devices now and if RIM wants to compete in that market then that's what they need to make.

[mithrazor]

Apparently that's what appeals to the larger consumer base. You know, the ones that aren't on the Crackberry forums.

Anyway, they're going to come out with a Bold like BB10 phone a few months after London. Don't get your panties caught up in a bunch. This is just the first to come out the door.

[Blackberry_boffin]

A few reasons.

1) The playbook is essentially the testbed for this phone. In order for everything to translate effortlessly to the phone it is easier to make it a mini-playbook

2) The new os navigation (i think) lends itself more to a touch screen style device. The fact that bb10 phones dont need any physical buttons is both awesome and elegant and a real statement about the thought and hard work that went into this intuitive os

3) And most importantly, like it or not, thats what sells - and rim wants to get a piece of that. But dont you worry, a qwerty bb10 should be out shortly thereafter.

These are the cold hard facts ^^^
Yes most love the keyboard but they are a diminishing few (evidenced by market share loss)

[Spencerdl]

I understand why RIM went in this direction "first".....I don't agree, but I understand. Its about what sells, and "touch screens" are thing right now. Business is about profit more than anything else.

[pmccartney]

Just because they choose to leak an image of the London phone doesn't eliminate the possibility that another BB10 phone, with a keyboard, is in the works and being released around the same time. Anything is possible.
I agree that they need a phone like the 'current' London added to there line-up.
RIM needs to keep some things tight lipped until they're ready for market.

[corderod]

because its going to be a mini playbook which will respond to many of the existing playbook type gestures

[Blacklac]

Cause they are getting hammered for NOT having a real Android or iPhone competitor. No one is saying the Bold is killing RIM.

[OniBerry]

Just because they choose to leak an image of the London phone doesn't eliminate the possibility that another BB10 phone, with a keyboard, is in the works and being released around the same time. Anything is possible.
I agree that they need a phone like the 'current' London added to there line-up.
RIM needs to keep some things tight lipped until they're ready for market.

I am one of the dying breed. I love my keyboards. I also own a few other touchscreen devices, and truthfully, typing on glass isn't as bad as some make it out to be. It takes some adjusting, but you fly over it after some practice.

Don't forget that RIM is not a new company who is unveiling their only model and that is all they have. They have numerous devices and a tablet that are already in use. This is just one more device to add to the lineup and I would be very surprised if they release a keyboard version at launch. I am not even convinced we would see a keyboard one this side of the Atlantic. Maybe one model to please those who really, really want a keyboard, but even some RIM fans prefer the TS experience and don't even bother with RIM's phones that have a physical keyboard. How would they go about making a phone that slim a slider?

If BB10 delivers, I am all over that. Touchscreen or not.

[saintzak]

does anyone really know or have a clue when the os7.1 will be released in the uk? im not interested in the leaked version.

[-BlueBerry]

I was thinking the same when I saw this. "What the fudge is this all about?"
I was very annoyed that these two "rumoured" devices do not feature a trackpad. These devices remind me of another type of phone...
*Cough* Nokia?

[Mikethaler]

My wife gave up on BB when there was no upgrade for her to replace her aged dying 8900 last summer. She got an HTC 4G Slide. She still finds a keyboard useful, but uses the Swype app much of the time on the TS.

It does make for a heavy somewhat bulky phone - maybe too much so for men, like me, who carry a phone in their shirt pocket. My 9700 does about everything I need in the business world. Because I am developing a hand tremor as I age, can't use her small touch screen on her phone, can on her ipad. Have no trouble w. BB keyboard. Have trouble using physical keyboard on her HTC because of its design.