[DrewDT]

Just curious what people envision as their next smartphone purchase and why they are going that route?
I've been using a BlackBerry for five years now (first the Pearl 8130 and now the Tour 9630). I've been looking to upgrade my phone but I haven't seen a BB worthy of upgrading to especially on my carrier (Verizon).
I can't see myself going to an iPhone so I've been seriously considering looking toward the Android phones.
The biggest issues I have with BB is the lack of quality phones available at my carrier and the poor browser / app experience I've had overall. There seems to be very little developer support for BB. Every interest I have I always see there is an app available for iPhone or Android and very rarely for BlackBerry. The apps I do see for BB are usually more expensive than their counterparts on other smartphones and have less functionality and less appealing to the eye (i.e. Facebook).
BlackBerry does a few things extremely well like their push notifications, email and BlackBerry Messenger. BBM is become less useful to me since less than two out of every ten people I know even own a BlackBerry. Instead I just use it to communicate with my wife these days and use a cross platform messenger (LiveProfile) for everyone else.

I am interested in hearing thoughtful responses about what you see for the future and what smartphone you think you will choose and why.
Please refrain from the typical fanboy/loyalist responses and I'd rather not hear RIM hater responses either. I am at a real crossroads here.
Thank you in advance for taking the time to respond.

[Ferretling]

Well, I won't be eligible for an upgrade until December and honestly, I love my Style. What will I want? Depends on what is in the works at that point. But what I would love, honestly, is a Style 2. Love the phone, love the form factor, and would just tweak it a little bit and I'd be very happy with it.

[jlb21]

I have my last Verizon New Every Two discount on my account and it expires in November. Had I not had that, I might just stick with my 9650. But I feel like I am wasting $ if I don't use it (I know...exactly what VZW wants me to think).

Soooo, I am going to get, most likely, the 9930 once it is out, or a few weeks after that point. I really am a physical keyboard guy. There are very few good options for physical keyboard phones. OS 5.0.0.975 is just fine for me. But I am willing to take a leap into OS7 for the 9930.

[pcgizmo#IM]

Most likely something Android based......9930 has a very minuscule chance.

[AbuYazeedUK]

I'm in the same boat as you (OP) i have been looking at the Galaxay S2 and HTC Sensation, EVO 3D etc but i hate typing on a touch screen so i'm waiting for the Bold 9900 the main thing i want to try on that is the browser and playing Youtube videos if it does that well i'll probably take it.

[Seijuro]

using my bold 9700 for a little more than a year now, but i am SO looking forward to the 9900, definitely getting it the moment it gets released
it seems to be an awesome phone, i really cant wait

if the browser bothers you that much, well idk
if you like the physical keyboard, the OS and blackberry overall, i think you could also be interested in the 9900...
im still on OS 5.0 and dont plan on upgrading to OS 6.0, and the browser in 6 is supposed to be way better than 5
and the OS 7 browser is supposed to be 30% faster than the 6 browser, if im not mistaken

or does the screen bothers you when browsing, because its not a large screen? or does it bother you that theres no touchscreen?
9900 will have physical keyboard+touchscreen, so <3

regarding the apps, well.. yea, its unfortunate, but i highly doubt OS 7 will make a real change there and transform bb into a mass-app-platform, but i think there'll be quite a few apps, of course all the important ones, but it wont become a gaming-platform like iOS/Android, thats for sure (and im glad!)

i think QNX will have lots of apps and developers will love it and you'll also have the android-app-player.. so yeah

[DrewDT]

Thanks for mentioning the keyboard, I absolutely love the physical keyboard on my Tour and that is one of the reasons I dread going to another platform without a physical keyboard. This fear may be due to my own ignorance, I know many people that made the transition from BB to a non-BB touchscreen device and they say it took a little getting used to but it works just fine for them.

As far as browser experience, I'd like a screen larger than my Tour and better rendering of webpages (I can only reference OS5 since that is what I am using). QNX and LTE does sound like promising additions and I am glad the Playbook is using QNX ( I see the Playbook as a beta test for improving QNX). I would to know when QNX will be rolled out into actual phones and if the new set of phones (9900, etc) will be able to support it. There seems to be such a delay from promoting a new OS or phone to it's actual release, sometimes it's over a year.

I do not want a gaming platform either, I don't mind the occasional game to pass time but that shouldn't be BlackBerry's focus IMO.

[KMerrick2]

I'm not sold on iPhone - still feel like there ARE issues(dropped calls, lag on email/text). Leaning towards something like Droid Pro that has physical keyboard. Would love to see next generation of Android with physical keyboard. As much as I love my bberry, just seems like they're struggling to keep up, less and less support, and everytime they delay a new device it puts them further behind the curve

[sedalia066]

The next phone will be in the Fall for me. Unless RIM ceases making handheld devices another BB will be mine. No other platform performs as well for my purposes. Now with PB and BB the best of all worlds is in my hands.

For all those seeking some different experience good luck to you. For me BB reigns supreme. All the flash and glitter of Apple and Android are no substitute for dependable functionality IMHO.

[johnling]

Blackberry here . . . there is nothing else.

[T�nis]

If I lose my Curve (or if it gets stolen), I'll just get another BlackBerry.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[SmakBerry]

I'm actually starting to feel a little torn, the iphone 5 is coming and it's starting to look a little appealing. Still not a fan of the ui but will I get over that? I have already given is 2 chances... but came back to bb. One big thing I missed was the keyboard, so with my current torch I really feel I get the best of both worlds.
It is really going to be a hard decision when the time comes, torch 2 or iphone.

[Bonnie Bonzai]

Blackberry here . . . there is nothing else.

Yeah, I feel pretty much the same way - so my next BB will be the Bold Touch.

[Laura Knotek]

I have an upgrade available now. However, I am not going to get anything new this year. I do not feel that OS 7 is enough of a difference from OS 6 to use my upgrade, and I cannot afford to upgrade every year.

Also, AT&T might offer LTE where I live by next year. If LTE is available, I want an LTE device.

Therefore, I will not to see what devices are available next year and whether or not I have LTE (and if those devices support it).

[pcgizmo#IM]

All the flash and glitter of Apple and Android are no substitute for dependable functionality IMHO.

LOL, yep, gotta love the dependability of the spinning clock and undelivered BBM messages. Oh and my favorite dependable BB email feature: "Message truncated due to size".

[Deathcommand]

9930 if my dad allows me.

Evo 3D or Galaxy S2 if he won't.

As for any type of iPhone, I'd rather have a Razr and an iPod touch.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[Seijuro]

????
why wouldnt he allow you to get the 9930 ?
and if he wouldnt allow you the 9930, why would he allow you to get an android device??
ok, maybe ur just still really young and he doesnt want you to get a phone with contract or whatever (???), but i dont get the "forbid 9930 - allow android"-thing

[rollingrock1988]

It's hard to say at this point. Too early.

I want to stick with BB, but I don't want to invest in a dying platform. It would be easier to transition earlier because at that point a person would have invested less into the eco-system. Not so entrenched.


Basically it'll either be iOS or Android. I just need to see what models are out etc. I need to see how iOS continues to mature and if everything begins to come full circle. I'd also liek to see and iPhone with a keyboard (like BBs) even though I know this is NEVER going to happen. If there is an acceptable android to move over to, then I will. I like the HTC ChaCha (A LOT LOT LOT, but I hate AT&T) and the Droid Pro had my interest but it wasn't up to snuff 2nd or 3td gen need to be released.

[DrewDT]

I'm actually starting to feel a little torn, the iphone 5 is coming and it's starting to look a little appealing. Still not a fan of the ui but will I get over that? I have already given is 2 chances... but came back to bb. One big thing I missed was the keyboard, so with my current torch I really feel I get the best of both worlds.
It is really going to be a hard decision when the time comes, torch 2 or iphone.

The Torch 2 sounds like it could be a great device giving me the best of the touchscreen and keyboard worlds. I wonder how awkward it is to use, any thoughts there? I still come back to a couple major caveats in purchasing another BlackBerry:
1. App support - I am tired of apps being primarily developed for iPhone and Android devices and BlackBerrys are barely an afterthought.
2. QNX/LTE support - Since that is the future of BB, I don't want to have a device that either won't support these or won't support it robustly.

I don't purchase a new phone every year and don't want the feel of obsolescence a month after purchasing a new one.
iPhones aren't really a consideration for me, I would like the ability to view Flash enabled websites.

[grover5]

I'm either getting the 9900 or sticking with my 9700. I have the playbook and bridge a lot so I want to stay with BB for that. I prefer the BB OS to Android and I feel like I have to become assimilated if I buy Apple. I am curious to see the pre 3 but when push comes to shove I think it will be the 9900. That keyboard has me practically drooling.

[Xterra2]

My next smartphone would be the bold touch from 9780
I remain loyal

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[sleepngbear]

Will definitely be a BB ... No reason or desire to switch to anything else. Probably a 9900, but haven't ruled out a Torch 2 yet.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[mmcpher]

As much as I like the look of the new Bolds, I will go with the Torch II because of the larger screen and optimal flexibility of the touchscreen/touchpad/keyboard. I will upgrade from the Torch I, hoping that the enhanced specs will also be refelcted on Playbook Bridge apps. I like the Torch, but am looking forward to a brighter screen, heavier processor, etc. Its hard to gauge where the line is, but I sometime wish the Torch were just a tiny bit wider and the screen a bit longer, but that would likely put some people off.

[qbnkelt]

I will take the Torch 2, AND the Bold Touch, AND possibly the Apollo. I LOVE the Curve keyboard.
The hubby will get the 9900 as a birthday present.

[DrewDT]

I'm seeing more articles like this one from multiple sources lately that also gives me some pause on purchasing another BlackBerry:
How RIM is getting left behind

Even looking at the CrackBerry Blogs and seeing things written by Kevin Milchaluk (Arguably one to the top BB fanboys around) where he says things like "RIM is increasingly entering a sink or swim state. While they continue to do pretty well internationally, in the United States the demand for BlackBerry has definitely been dropping (I don't even want to think about how long it's been since I've written a review for a new BlackBerry Smartphone), and unfortunately for RIM, Wall Street is located in the US. RIM's stock price has been sinking these past few months, and the answers given by RIM's top people to questions asked on tonight's call will have an impact on how things look for RIM going forward."

I'm not trying to be an alarmist but I cannot ignore this information when it has become so prevalent from multiple non partisan sources as well as from BB friendly sources.

All this has to be included in a rational purchasing decision for me. Making a purchasing decision solely because I want to be loyal to a manufacturer of a product is neither rational or responsible in my opinion.

All this said, I will hold out until the end of the year and hope I get better news, I don't really want to try another platform but I will make a rational decision.