[zipro]

So I think with some sort of BB10 relaunch as a matured plattform on new devices, they could still do a turnaround.

Posted via the awesome Blackberry Q10

except that's not going to happen now, is it. Read yesterday's press release: Blackberry is outsourcing its phone production business to Foxconn in Indonesia and Mexico, effectively ending the development of high-end phones. They're now aiming at emerging markets in Asia and the only phone planned at the moment is a cheap entry-level device for that geographical area. The Z30 is likely the last full-fledged Blackberry intended for the US and Europe.

This all makes sense from a business point of view and I wish Blackberry all the best for their endeavours, but at the same time, it's time to say good bye for the time being. Perhaps if they manage to make their Asia plans work and they get their finances straight, they might make a comeback in a few years.

[bananagrams]

except that's not going to happen now, is it. Read yesterday's press release: Blackberry is outsourcing its phone production business to Foxconn in Indonesia and Mexico, effectively ending the development of high-end phones. They're now aiming at emerging markets in Asia and the only phone planned at the moment is a cheap entry-level device for that geographical area. The Z30 is likely the last full-fledged Blackberry intended for the US and Europe.

This all makes sense from a business point of view and I wish Blackberry all the best for their endeavours, but at the same time, it's time to say good bye for the time being. Perhaps if they manage to make their Asia plans work and they get their finances straight, they might make a comeback in a few years.

I think you didn't get all the facts. Their low to mid end hardware will be manufactured and to some extent designed by Foxcon. Higher end devices for the developed markets will be designed in house.

[bananagrams]

The Z30 was meant for mass market consumers. Unfortunately the Z10 and Q10 and BB10 in general was a large flop in terms of marketing and execution. So, instead of waste more marketing dollars on the Z30. they just finished it off and let whoever wanted to carry it, carry it while not making so much inventory. And with the strategic decision to exit consumer market already in mind, it would be wasteful to spend on a whole marketing campaign for which the effectiveness would be pretty much 0

I somehow doubt the Z30 is really meant for the masses. Just considering the lack of marketing all around the globe, again missing carrier support in many countries, I get more and more the impression BB just threw the Z30 on the market because they had worked on it and had it ready. Around here in Germany, I haven't really seen any carriers offering the Z30 directly or have them on display. Even the large electronic chains like Media Markt or Saturn don't have the Z30 on display. Some small chains have it and you can get it online outright. The pricing is rather high however, a Galaxy S4 or the HTC One is noticeably cheaper, while upwards the Note 3 isn't that much more expensive.

Posted via the awesome Blackberry Q10

[g33kphr33k]

Z30 in the UK is a pain to get hold of on contract. Vodafone have it but it's expensive. Car phone Warehouse have pulled from their website but do have some in stores. O2 don't offer it on business or personal and neither do half the third parties such as Tesco.

Mobiles.co.uk seems to be the best place to buy one at a decent rate and they are an online equivalent to phones4u or CPW.

If BlackBerry wanted to get rid of their inventory, you'd have thought they'd put in a little more effort in to getting the carriers or even third party shops / online retailers to do this.

"Don't mind me, I'm just frying some bacon on the back of my Z10"

[Mark LeGear]

Like many of the posters here, I think BlackBerry had basically finished the z30 but had already lost their chance on the mass market with both this phone and bb10. It is a fantastic phone released a little too late. Had this phone been released instead of or with the z10, things could have been drastically different. Unfortunately, being a little late to the party in the phone market and you lose your ticket in.

I think BlackBerry could market the z30 till the cows come home And have little success. The ship has sailed and I really only think BlackBerry can get back with making their own ship. In this case I think the north American and Europe markets are a lost cause. If you asked random people about what they thought about bb, I can bet you that at least 90% would respond that they were a dead or dying company and that they would not buy a phone from them. I know from my own experience that people respond in this way.

Posted via my Z30

[zipro]

I think you didn't get all the facts. Their low to mid end hardware will be manufactured and to some extent designed by Foxcon. Higher end devices for the developed markets will be designed in house.

There's absolutely no indication that they're working on a new high-end handset. They're saying they might release new devices targeted at specific businesses - but these won't be mass-market devices. At least, they're probably thinking about pushing "Jakarta" to North America and Europe as well, otherwise they probably wouldn't manufacture it in Mexico as well as in Indonesia.

[bananagrams]

There's absolutely no indication that they're working on a new high-end handset. They're saying they might release new devices targeted at specific businesses - but these won't be mass-market devices. At least, they're probably thinking about pushing "Jakarta" to North America and Europe as well, otherwise they probably wouldn't manufacture it in Mexico as well as in Indonesia.

John Chen said in the conference call that they will be doing the high end devices themselves destined for North American enterprise. The specific release date was not discussed though.

Posted via CB10

[anon(153966)]

...seriously, do I need to port my number to Verizon to get a Z30? This is a joke, right? AT&T don't seem to be any closer to offering the Z30. I'm guessing by March\April time we'll have something. But why do we have to wait so long?

[anon(153966)]

Hmm, so the Amazon versions work just fine, albeit no LTE? Interesting...

Strange? I'm using my Z30 on AT&T and have been for 6 or 7 weeks now. I happened to have gotten mine from a friend in Canada but I could buy one from Amazon and elsewhere today and have it tomorrow or the next day.

In fairness, it does not do LTE but 4G speed is not bad at all.

[rcab]

If BB has all the inventory that they are writing off, why not sell them through Crackberry like they did with the Z10? At least they would be getting some revenue and reducing their stock. I don't believe AT&T will carry the phone and if they do it will take forever just as it is taking forever for them to release updates for the Z10. T-Mobile I thought would jump on the Z30 to make their no contract feature even more attractive to unhappy AT&T customers. Make them available with a reduced price even if they are sold for cost, then BB will clear the inventory and increase the number of units out in the public. I for one would buy an unlocked version that would run on AT&T if offered on a pricing like Crackberry did on the Z10

[dlmilea]

What you have read into the press release is more than I.

I see their immediate strategy to provide a cheaper set of models to run in conjunction with selling their high end Z-series and Q-series. This strategy is no different than the Nokia Lumina whom I see as the main competitor to aim for right now. Nokia have extensive experience in providing multiple devices for all budgets and this strategy is working well for WP8.

Once a wider range of models is available they will refresh the high end with yet more models. These may very well be produced by Foxconn whom I think have proven themselves to be capable of producing quality products on behalf of leading brands.

So the notion of an enterprise class company concentrating on ONLY the low/mid end market is misplaced. BB must find a way to get more BB device volume out there so that WP8 does not eat them on the point. WP8 are 18months ahead with this this strategy it just a shame BB did not get in there first. For the past 2 years corporate accountants have been fleet buying WP due to great bulk pricing. Now those users are getting into their device refresh and those users are seriously considering to go again sometimes with their own money. This should be a major concern for BB.

Having a device for every budget is a reason this is working. The high end is here to stay if anything over the next 5 years there will be little between hi/mid phones as components get ever cheaper and better with new hardware features harder to invent and soon available on all devices within 12 months.

Posted via CB10

[Insync]

The handset business is over run with product. Every store in N.A. displays 30 products or more. The operating system is what counts, and I believe Chen's apparent strategy to monetize that is right.

Posted via CB10

[anon(153966)]

...at this rate, we're never going to see the Z30 officially on AT&T. I think I'm going to look at alternative devices for early 2014, if not sooner.

[anon(153966)]

Now that January and 2014 is here, will we EVER see Z30 on sale at AT&T...?


Sent from my SmartPhone using CB Forums mobile app

[dejanh]

To answer the topic subject, never.

/endthread

Posted via CB10

[HotFix]

Now that January and 2014 is here, will we EVER see Z30 on sale at AT&T...?


Sent from my SmartPhone using CB Forums mobile app

No one knows and there are no official announcement one way or another to refer to. As a fellow AT&T user I can commiserate with you, but asking the same question multiple times isn't going to speed things up. :-)

Posted via CB10 on a Z10STL100-3/10.2.1.1925

[joshua_sx1]

The so-called masses already seen the Z30... only, they never saw it the way we've seen it...

Posted via CB10

[House seller]

Since I still love my Z10, I'm willing to wait and see on the Z30. I really want one, but if AT&T doesn't offer one by March, which is my one year anniversary of owning the Z10, I'll be looking for another phone brand on AT&T. I've got a family plan with 4 phones, so way too much trouble switching providors...