[tipplex]

BlackBerry should launch a premium elite user subscription for like 200 a year. With this program the premium users could support BlackBerry and vote for product development features and let BlackBerry earn more money.

I am sure more ppl out there willing to do this.

Posted via CB10

[tipplex]

I am talking about the BlackBerry 10 OS part off course.

Posted via CB10

[Troy Tiscareno]

I would estimate that keeping the necessary staff around just to do maintenance updates for BB10 would cost BB on the order of $10M per year, minimum (and I'm probably being generous). That's not developing any new features, updating any APIs, updating the Android Runtime (which is almost certainly prohibited anyway by their license for Google Play for the Priv and future Android devices), etc. Just basic maintenance and bug-fixes of the current feature set.

$10,000,000 / $200 = 50,000 people who would need to be willing to pay that $200/year to maintain BB10 on their old-and-growing-older devices. I doubt you could get even 50 people here on CB to agree to pay this, but anything short of 50,000 would mean BB is losing money.

[crackberry_geek]

I would estimate that keeping the necessary staff around just to do maintenance updates for BB10 would cost BB on the order of $10M per year, minimum (and I'm probably being generous). That's not developing any new features, updating any APIs, updating the Android Runtime (which is almost certainly prohibited anyway by their license for Google Play for the Priv and future Android devices), etc. Just basic maintenance and bug-fixes of the current feature set.

$10,000,000 / $200 = 50,000 people who would need to be willing to pay that $200/year to maintain BB10 on their old-and-growing-older devices. I doubt you could get even 50 people here on CB to agree to pay this, but anything short of 50,000 would mean BB is losing money.

If anyone thinks there are only 50 people around who care enough about BB10 to fund it... they are as out of touch as Chairman Chen.

H377, I've invested multiple thousands in such devices... would I pay to keep it going?

Abso-freaking-lutely!!

[kvndoom]

You can bet your @55 that my phone would go in the dumpster the day I had to pay a subscription for my OS.

[sergio_can]

BlackBerry will no longer have a penny from me.............. sure as hell

[tipplex]

Just for the elite ppl as a option. Ive checkout android the os really sucks. Even the browser is very slow. A mobile without BlackBerry 10 is hard. Its not the apps that decide how good a mobile product is. IMO.

Posted via CB10

[kvndoom]

Just for the elite ppl as a option. Ive checkout android the os really sucks. Even the browser is very slow. A mobile without BlackBerry 10 is hard. Its not the apps that decide how good a mobile product is. IMO.

Posted via CB10

This gets brought up from time to time. Answer me this:

What happens to people who don't subscribe? No updates? No support? Do you think that's going to help BlackBerry's bottom line in any way shape or form?

What about emerging markets, where BlackBerry is strongest? Those folks can barely afford the phones and cell service. You want to add more cost on top of that?

BlackBerry is already bleeding customers, in case you haven't noticed their 0.2% market share. Will charging for the OS make up for the millions who will abandon BB10 if they have to PAY a subscription too?

The "elite" won't make BlackBerry profitable.

BlackBerry Classic non-camera, Cricket Wireless

[tipplex]

They dont have to. Its just a subscription man not a requirement if you own a BlackBerry. Ppl not in elite just dont vote they get the updates that elite members voted for free. Its just nice to be a member of it can bring also great ideas to BlackBerry that can maybe happen.


Posted via CB10

[early2bed]

You will find that everyone who is willing to sign up and pay has some kind of individual requirement as in "Sure, I'm willing to pay a yearly fee as long as..." A lot of these will be deal-breakers like WhatsApp needs to keep working or the Android runtime needs to be updated, etc. People simply do not continue to pay year after year to participate in some kind of program where they can simply drop out for the price of buying a new smartphone. Finally, a program like this constantly needs new participants to replace the inevitable dropout but there is no reason why new people would be joining if there are no new devices.

[glwerry]

You will find that everyone who is willing to sign up and pay has some kind of individual requirement as in "Sure, I'm willing to pay a yearly fee as long as..." A lot of these will be deal-breakers like WhatsApp needs to keep working or the Android runtime needs to be updated, etc. People simply do not continue to pay year after year to participate in some kind of program where they can simply drop out for the price of buying a new smartphone. Finally, a program like this constantly needs new participants to replace the inevitable dropout but there is no reason why new people would be joining if there are no new devices.

And therein is part of why this approach just probably wouldn't work. It's NOT just BB's costs to maintain the OS. It's trying to get the 'killer' 3rd party app developers back on board.
There are also (to my understanding) major issues around the Android run-time / Google Play Services, where it's just not possible for BB to go past 4.3 of the Android OS. Meanwhile, Marshmallow is shipping, which I think is 5.0 - and apps are going to move to Marshmallow's features, rendering OS10 just further in the dust.

Nice thought, but I just don't see it working out in reality.

[Vistaus]

I would estimate that keeping the necessary staff around just to do maintenance updates for BB10 would cost BB on the order of $10M per year, minimum (and I'm probably being generous). That's not developing any new features, updating any APIs, updating the Android Runtime (which is almost certainly prohibited anyway by their license for Google Play for the Priv and future Android devices), etc. Just basic maintenance and bug-fixes of the current feature set.

$10,000,000 / $200 = 50,000 people who would need to be willing to pay that $200/year to maintain BB10 on their old-and-growing-older devices. I doubt you could get even 50 people here on CB to agree to pay this, but anything short of 50,000 would mean BB is losing money.

Of course this program won't cover all costs, but every penny counts.

Posted via CB10 using BlackBerry Passport (OG Red)

[Emaderton3]

I wonder if companies would pay for it. Everybody is trying to cut costs these days (reasons I have heard for BES being dropped by some even). I think most consumers would not if they can get similar products that have free OS updates.

Posted via CB10

[Brenton Kirby]

The so- called "elite" already have too much of a say on other aspects of my daily life. Why should they get a say on how my phone works? That's up to BlackBerry, I like how they've done so far, it's why I bought a phone from them in the firstplace. The majority won't even be techies or remotely qualified to start designing software features.

BB10 is dead. Dead but still very good and very usable. Deal with it.

Posted via CB10

[Troy Tiscareno]

Of course this program won't cover all costs, but every penny counts.

You just made my argument for me. Every penny counts, and BB is simply not interested in continuing to lose money supporting BB10, which has never come close to turning its first penny in profit. As sales continue to drop, it will only get more expensive on a per-phone basis to continue to support it. Offsetting some of the losses isn't good enough - BB simply can't afford any loss.

[bqik]

Xcuse me but everyone that bought a bb10 device is supporting bb10.

I don't know why I love minority OSes but it is exasperating.

New petition : make bb10 open source

Regards

[Troy Tiscareno]

Xcuse me but everyone that bought a bb10 device is supporting bb10.

I don't know why I love minority OSes but it is exasperating.

Harbingers of failure: meet the customers you don?t want to love your product | Ars Technica

You are a contrarian. You don't like anything mainstream. This leads you to being attracted to niche products that don't appeal to the mainstream, which means they fail in the market. When that happens, you look at the market, dismiss anything mainstream, and move to the next niche product, which will also soon fail. You repeat the pattern over and over without realizing what's going on or ever changing...

In other words, you're like many (most?) of the remaining BB loyalists - most of whom came from a previous niche mobile OS, and who will probably end up trying out Sailfish, Ubuntu, Tizen, LuneOS, or even WinPhone once BB no longer works for them...

[danifulger]

In other words, you're like many (most?) of the remaining BB loyalists - most of whom came from a previous niche mobile OS, and who will probably end up trying out Sailfish, Ubuntu, Tizen, LuneOS, or even WinPhone once BB no longer works for them...

If I come after 4 years+ of Android what makes me then ?

[BlackberryKnight7]

If I come after 4 years+ of Android what makes me then ?

I see what you did there good one!

[Troy Tiscareno]

If I come after 4 years+ of Android what makes me then ?

Perhaps an exception.

[johnny_bravo72]

Perhaps an exception.

Or an anomaly.

*C5303

[David Tyler]

If I come after 4 years+ of Android what makes me then ?

I did a year on a Sammy. Blechh.

Passport SE: All the snooty prestige of a device with a precious metal in the name at less than half the price!

[DrBoomBotz]

Or an anomaly.

A snowflake?

[anon(9607753)]

And all this time I thought BlackBerry already was an elite product... ;-)

High price, custom OS no one else has, unique product design, security features, very few other people around using them, used by heads of state, CEO's etc...need I continue?

Posted via CB10

[Bogdan Tudor Dan]

You just made my argument for me. Every penny counts, and BB is simply not interested in continuing to lose money supporting BB10, which has never come close to turning its first penny in profit. As sales continue to drop, it will only get more expensive on a per-phone basis to continue to support it. Offsetting some of the losses isn't good enough - BB simply can't afford any loss.

From what I know BlackBerry was on profit, but not a big profit. Also, they have invested big amounts in purchasing other companies.

Posted via CB10