[codenorth]

We've heard a lot about specialization, and John Chen has done a great job reinventing the company. But does that mean that BlackBerry is finished with mass market (iPhone-style) devices?

Will there be a Z10 update in the foreseeable future? Or if you're looking for a mainstream device, will you have to go elsewhere?

[shorski]

Does mainstream devices have to be in iPhone-style?

[notfakeprofile]

We've heard a lot about specialization, and John Chen has done a great job reinventing the company. But does that mean that BlackBerry is finished with mass market (iPhone-style) devices?

Will there be a Z10 update in the foreseeable future? Or if you're looking for a mainstream device, will you have to go elsewhere?

Give chen a Call with your questions and tell us what is said about it.


In other words: we dont know?

[wincyUt]

BlackBerry is still making phones that I love. Why are you worried about "mass market devices"? Just curious.

[Banco]

If you have the template for making sure a device sells heavily, I'm sure BlackBerry would love to hear from you.

[Bluenoser63]

We've heard a lot about specialization, and John Chen has done a great job reinventing the company. But does that mean that BlackBerry is finished with mass market (iPhone-style) devices?

Will there be a Z10 update in the foreseeable future? Or if you're looking for a mainstream device, will you have to go elsewhere?

We also heard him say there is a refresh of the Z3. If I am not mistaken, the Z3 is a iPhone style result. Where do you guys make this stuff up?

[codenorth]

wincyUt, I'm interested in the Z10 or iPhone-style mass market device for the same reason that the vast majority of smartphone users are. I'm not a business power user, and this form is very appealing as a general use device. I'm happy with my Z10, and I don't want to be forced into a Q10 or Passport-style device when I upgrade.

What do you think yesterday's enterprise announcements (including the partnership with Samsung) mean for this question? To me, this reinforces the move away from device hardware (and perhaps even device software). Bluenoser63, that's interesting about the Z3 refresh, but this may be just targeting developing countries. After these enterprise announcements, I'm a bit less optimistic about a flagship all-touch device.

[--TommesJay--]

Well we have to understand that devices like the Z10 and the Z30 were very expensive attempts by BlackBerry that cost them so much money. A flopping product means throwing boatloads of cash out the window. And it's devices like the Z10 and Z30 that made BlackBerry even more struggling since early 2013.

While I do understand the frustration of the few BlackBerry all touch lovers ('few' on a global smartphone market scale), the company has to get cashflow positive and profitable first and get back a business that's reputated as viable until they fire one more shot at all touch devices.

Posted via CB10

[Delil]

What if they take the same approach as they are doing with the PP?
I mean if they manage inventory like they are doing now, they don't need to take a risk.


Posted with my dirty thirty! Instagram:delilio TwitterelilHemikan

[codenorth]

Agreed, TommesJay.

As a loyal BlackBerry user, it's a hard realization that the new BlackBerry may (for very good reasons) not be designed for mainstream users like me. Maybe, as you suggest, they'll come back to this space in the future.

[skibnik]

Who's to say that the Passport may become the new mainstream device? Especially if and when they release an all touch version?

Loving my Passport!

[Thunderbuck]

We've heard a lot about specialization, and John Chen has done a great job reinventing the company. But does that mean that BlackBerry is finished with mass market (iPhone-style) devices?

Will there be a Z10 update in the foreseeable future? Or if you're looking for a mainstream device, will you have to go elsewhere?

Yes, there is an affordable full-touch (or as you put it "mass-market") device on the horizon, the LTE version of the Z3.

[blueberrymerry]

But does that mean that BlackBerry is finished?

Possibly.

[igor10000]

But does that mean that BlackBerry is finished?

Possibly.

History repeats itself, CB people were all up in everybody's face with this question about this time last year.

Posted via CB10

[Ment]

What if they take the same approach as they are doing with the PP?
I mean if they manage inventory like they are doing now, they don't need to take a risk.


Posted with my dirty thirty! Instagram:delilio TwitterelilHemikan

I think they should take that approach. From the carrier perspective a new flagship BB slab-phone competes directly with other slab-phones so they will require a big advertising budget from BB to co-promote the phone which BB is not in a position to do. This is especially true in the US where BB has to accept 'exclusives' in order to even get into the market. Instead, follow a start-up model like One Plus, get Foxconn to make a BB branded slabphone and sell it online for $450-500. If carriers want to carry it in-store like in Canada then fine but plan on selling 500k-1M and anything above that is gravy.

[codenorth]

Maybe I was too pessimistic... The BlackBerry Rio - is it the Z30 all-touch sequel? | CrackBerry.com

I sure hope so, anyway. My vote is for a Z10 update with a (way) better battery, a top-of-the-line camera and Passport-esque styling. I don't know about the business case for this, but I'd be thrilled. Can I get an amen?

[CodeMole]

Yes, there is an affordable full-touch (or as you put it "mass-market") device on the horizon, the LTE version of the Z3.

Hasn't the 'Manitoba' device's launch been scrapped / cancelled by Chen?

Z10 STL100-2 / 10.3.1.1151

[Prem WatsApp]

All-touch is still a valid form factor, even for BBRY.
Yes, Chen stated they were going to do keyboard devices "predominantly", this doesn't mean to the exclusion of touch.

It's gonna happen. Just bbelieve... :-)

? ? ? Zzzzmoqin'.... ? ? ?

[SuperionMaximus]

Hasn't the 'Manitoba' device's launch been scrapped / cancelled by Chen?

Z10 STL100-2 / 10.3.1.1151

I was under the same impression, that the "Manitoba" AKA the Z3 LTE was shelved and was no longer slated for release. I don't think they got any carrier interest for it, and the price point they were tossing around for it would not really have made it much of a competitor in the mid-range segment in most of the developed world. I think they made a business decision, and I think when John Chen says he can't compete with the Chinese brands that can do an all touch Android phone for $75, he's referencing his cancelling the global rollout of the Z3

[Dave Bourque]

I was under the same impression, that the "Manitoba" AKA the Z3 LTE was shelved and was no longer slated for release. I don't think they got any carrier interest for it, and the price point they were tossing around for it would not really have made it much of a competitor in the mid-range segment in most of the developed world. I think they made a business decision, and I think when John Chen says he can't compete with the Chinese brands that can do an all touch Android phone for $75, he's referencing his cancelling the global rollout of the Z3

It was the right choice honestly.

Posted via CB10

[SuperionMaximus]

It was the right choice honestly.

Posted via CB10

I think it was. Given they were talking about it being in the $400 - $450 range outright and the competition in the mid-tier market. I don't think the Z3 LTE offered much to stand out from the crowd, and it also didn't offer much in the way of an upgrade from the Z10 for existing BlackBerry customers. It offered nothing vs the Z30. So, there was no place for it. it wasn't competitive enough to gain conquest customers, and it wasn't an upgrade over existing BB 10 all touch phones to retain existing customers.

[Delil]

It makes me wonder.

The Z3 is momentarily being sold at +/- 200$ in some markets. So an LTE chipset makes the price go up to 400$? I find that a little hard to believe.
Also I don't agree saying there is no market for it. If I look around me there's still a lot of people who aren't on smart phones or are budget minded or who don't need the best of the best.

I see those people buying smartphones of the likes of Nokia Lumia 735 (300?), galaxy s4 mini (270?) and Huawei ascend g6 (300?). I believe the Z3 could easily compete with them.
Especially because of screensize and battery life.

Just my 2 cents

Posted with my dirty thirty! Instagram:delilio TwitterelilHemikan

[SuperionMaximus]

It makes me wonder.

The Z3 is momentarily being sold at +/- 200$ in some markets. So an LTE chipset makes the price go up to 400$? I find that a little hard to believe.
Also I don't agree saying there is no market for it. If I look around me there's still a lot of people who aren't on smart phones or are budget minded or who don't need the best of the best.

I see those people buying smartphones of the likes of Nokia Lumia 735 (300?), galaxy s4 mini (270?) and Huawei ascend g6 (300?). I believe the Z3 could easily compete with them.
Especially because of screensize and battery life.

Just my 2 cents

Posted with my dirty thirty! Instagram:delilio TwitterelilHemikan

I agree that the Z3 LTE would have a place in the $250 - $300 range outright. But the rumors had it pegged at a higher potential price point. I don't think it stood a chance against a Nexus 5, or 1+ One, or any of the other highly competitive phones in the price range the "Manitoba" was rumored to occupy.

The phone was also rumored to have a few more upgrades to it then just an LTE chipset. It was rumored to have an improved display module with 720P resolution which is higher then the existing Z3, an improved camera module over the Z3 with a revised back cover to accommodate that change along with a larger battery to support that LTE chipset. Still, even with those tweaks, the phone would not have been much of a competitor at $400 - $450 which is what it was rumored to retail for.

I mean this is all just speculation because the Z3 LTE also likely will never see the light of day in the market so we don't really know if it would have been priced out of competitiveness or not,

[CodeMole]

+1

z10 stl100-2 / 10.3.1.1151

[CodeMole]

BlackBerry is done with mass-market devices for now. It's adopting a new, radical approach - instead of wanting to be a me-too player it has decided that profitability might be a better goal...

Z10 STL100-2 / 10.3.1.1151