Predictions

[UrbanGlowCam]

I'm not any "in the know" source but I feel like I can backup my predictions by looking at the past.

Monaco/Storm 3 (VZW) - May/June 2011
Dakota (AT&T/T-Mobile) - May/June 2011
Torch 2 (AT&T/T-Mobile?) - July 2011
Montana (VZW/Sprint) - June/July 2011


My reasoning comes from looking at the CDMA NARC (North American Regional Carrier) leaked roadmap we got a few months ago. As the past has shown, Verizon/Sprint tend to get the same handset before the regional CDMA carriers do....sometimes even months before.

Example....the same leaked roadmap says Q1 2011 for the 9300 series. US Cellular ended up getting it way before, in Nov 2010. Verizon and Sprint got it mid Sept 2010 which is 2 months earlier.

The Monaco says Q3 2011 which puts it around July-Sept. However, more specifically it says (July-Aug). So that is my reasoning for me believing VZW/Sprint will get it a few months before. Also, we've heard about Verizon testing it since around January with even a video leaking with their branding on it. The "Storm" series is also way overdue for an upgrade.

The Dakota was recently in a T-Mobile leaked roadmap saying May-June so I am basing this off there. I can't imagine AT&T being too far off or even before.

The Torch 2 I expect around July. The original 9800 came out Aug 2010. The T-Mobile leaked roadmap says it's "under consideration" though but puts it sometime after May/June. I know AT&T had an exclusivity on it but they lost it after 6 months I believe. That could be why T-Mobile is mentioning their consideration. An AT&T leaked roadmap would help us know their situation but I can't imagine T-Mobile getting it before as this was originally AT&Ts. Also, I usually see RIM doing their sequel devices about 11 months after the first. Examples...

9630 - July 2009 / 9650 - June 2010
9530 - Nov 2008 / 9550 - Oct 2010

Lastly, the Montana (CDMA Bold Touch) is targeted at Aug 2011. I feel this might come out later than the Monaco as the Storm always gets the upgrade before the Tour (Bold). Also, I see the GSM variant coming out before for whatever reason.

Sorry for my rambling but I thought long and hard on a lot of these. I guess the main point to consider is the regional CDMA carriers come out with their phones way after Sprint/VZW many times so take their leaked roadmap with a grain of salt.

Blackberry World will be here May 3-5 so we should see how many of my predictions come true shortly after.


References:

[Skeevecr]

I think you are underestimating when the Torch 2 will come out, it is going to be a higher priority for at&t than the dakota and rather than them bringing out the dakota at the same time as t-mobile it is more likely that they launch the torch 2 at that time or given that they are more important to rim than t-mobile it wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if torch 2 was the first gsm model to launch in north america.

As far as the storm 3, I think your reasoning is sound on that coming before the bold, we also had a lot more leaks relating to it prior to the mass leak that revealed the montana/dakota so it could also be that they have been working on it a bit longer too.

[UrbanGlowCam]

Originally Posted by Skeevecr

I think you are underestimating when the Torch 2 will come out, it is going to be a higher priority for at&t than the dakota and rather than them bringing out the dakota at the same time as t-mobile it is more likely that they launch the torch 2 at that time or given that they are more important to rim than t-mobile it wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if torch 2 was the first gsm model to launch in north america.

As far as the storm 3, I think your reasoning is sound on that coming before the bold, we also had a lot more leaks relating to it prior to the mass leak that revealed the montana/dakota so it could also be that they have been working on it a bit longer too.

I personally think the Dakota (9900?) will be at&ts new flagship device even over the torch 2. But that's just my opinion. You could be right though. If the torch 2 has an all new design I can see it being more important, but with the Dakota's super high pixel density screen, metal trim, all new thin design, it definitely seems like a next generation BB. Not to say the torch 2 won't be. You bring up a good point though it would be two phones competing with one another on AT&T. But I see the Dakota having priority as AT&T may have passed on the 9780 and needs a true 9700 successor.

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