1. thurask's Avatar
    I think we can safely assume that they are doing what they always do (and should be doing) for the US market: offer it first to carriers and hope that 1) several pick it up or 2) one picks it up as an exclusive offer. They know that it's easier to sell through carriers in the US.

    If no carriers offer it, they will launch unlocked through retailers like they have with the previous three phones.

    Posted with my trusty Z10
    Through looking at the variants in a KEY2LE OS, they're well past offering it to American carriers. One model might be Verizon certified BYOD, but there's no branded models for any US carrier.
    09-26-18 07:09 AM
  2. bb10adopter111's Avatar
    Through looking at the variants in a KEY2LE OS, they're well past offering it to American carriers. One model might be Verizon certified BYOD, but there's no branded models for any US carrier.
    Understood, but without a US carrier, I would imagine supplying the US market is a relatively low priority. Certainly, by now BlackBerry Mobile must have a pretty reasonable estimate of sell-through volumes for a launch through Amazon and Best Buy!

    Posted with my trusty Z10
    09-26-18 07:48 AM
  3. Chuck Finley69's Avatar
    Without any USA carrier sales and support, this licensing deal will end. Not having carrier sales and support will block enhanced calling features and possibly even basic calling features. We’ve seen this on Verizon, AT&T, Sprint and now even T-Mobile. With the pending merger of Sprint and T-Mobile, this doesn’t appear to look good. Before anybody thinks I’m anti-business, I’m actually pro-business. The carriers are following the progression of industry consolidation and uniformity. These newer hardware policies affect OEMs not limited to BBMo/TCL even when purchased through carriers.
    09-26-18 08:26 AM
  4. Dunt Dunt Dunt's Avatar
    Through looking at the variants in a KEY2LE OS, they're well past offering it to American carriers. One model might be Verizon certified BYOD, but there's no branded models for any US carrier.
    Still don't get the SKU options.... four production variant, with three colors and two storage sizes. I get not all variant will be all the options, and thus not all markets will see them. But still seems like small BBMo has created a problem for themselves.
    09-26-18 09:10 AM
  5. thurask's Avatar
    Still don't get the SKU options.... four production variant, with three colors and two storage sizes. I get not all variant will be all the options, and thus not all markets will see them. But still seems like small BBMo has created a problem for themselves.
    Plus all of the different PRDs and localized OEM partitions that pop up across the five (yes, five) BBE100-x models.
    09-26-18 09:20 AM
  6. HostessCupcake's Avatar
    More likely it's what they planned all along.... When a BlackBerry device is suppose to launch in a particular month, than means the last business day of said month that orders will be opened. Delivery... that's another thing.

    But someone has seen some dummy units showing up in Canada, so it's got to be soon (for Canada anyway).
    Correct, they said they were going to release the K1 in April, then delayed it to May, released it May 30th, and most customers did not have it delivered until June. They never apologized for it either.
    09-26-18 11:53 AM
  7. Chuck Finley69's Avatar
    Why apologize if that was intent? I don’t apologize to people just because they don’t like how things are done. Buy different phone or whatever if you don’t like how things are done....
    Correct, they said they were going to release the K1 in April, then delayed it to May, released it May 30th, and most customers did not have it delivered until June. They never apologized for it either.
    09-26-18 12:04 PM
  8. conite's Avatar
    Without any USA carrier sales and support, this licensing deal will end. Not having carrier sales and support will block enhanced calling features and possibly even basic calling features. We’ve seen this on Verizon, AT&T, Sprint and now even T-Mobile. With the pending merger of Sprint and T-Mobile, this doesn’t appear to look good. Before anybody thinks I’m anti-business, I’m actually pro-business. The carriers are following the progression of industry consolidation and uniformity. These newer hardware policies affect OEMs not limited to BBMo/TCL even when purchased through carriers.
    I don't think there were many sales in the US anyway - that market is not make or break for them.
    09-26-18 12:46 PM
  9. conite's Avatar
    Correct, they said they were going to release the K1 in April, then delayed it to May, released it May 30th, and most customers did not have it delivered until June. They never apologized for it either.
    Apologise to who, and for what?
    09-26-18 12:49 PM
  10. the_boon's Avatar
    Correct, they said they were going to release the K1 in April, then delayed it to May, released it May 30th, and most customers did not have it delivered until June. They never apologized for it either.
    I'd say it launched on July 10th because that's when they actually had their screens properly attached.
    09-26-18 12:54 PM
  11. krazyatom's Avatar
    Apologise to who, and for what?
    I don't think they should apologize for poor product launch. If key2 LE was released before iPhone XS, it could've been million seller. Blackberry and TCL are always late to the party.
    09-26-18 01:22 PM
  12. bb10adopter111's Avatar
    Without any USA carrier sales and support, this licensing deal will end. Not having carrier sales and support will block enhanced calling features and possibly even basic calling features. We’ve seen this on Verizon, AT&T, Sprint and now even T-Mobile. With the pending merger of Sprint and T-Mobile, this doesn’t appear to look good. Before anybody thinks I’m anti-business, I’m actually pro-business. The carriers are following the progression of industry consolidation and uniformity. These newer hardware policies affect OEMs not limited to BBMo/TCL even when purchased through carriers.
    I don't think we know enough yet to prognosticate what will happen with the licensing agreement. We know that BlackBerry Mobile hasn't had any runaway hits yet, but we don't know what their sales trends or financials look like. For all we know they could be slightly profitable or very unprofitable at current volumes and satisfied with or horrified by the trends.

    TCL purchased BlackBerry so they wouldn't have to compete solely on specs and price (which they could have, and did, attempt without the brand). There's still no profits in mobile for them without the brand. If they end the licensing deal, I think they may also simply exit mobile.

    Posted with my trusty Z10
    09-26-18 01:32 PM
  13. conite's Avatar
    I don't think they should apologize for poor product launch. If key2 LE was released before iPhone XS, it could've been million seller. Blackberry and TCL are always late to the party.
    The KEYx is not a competitor to any iPhone.

    Plus, every device is launched either before or after every other device. So ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
    bigjman likes this.
    09-26-18 01:42 PM
  14. Dunt Dunt Dunt's Avatar
    I don't think there were many sales in the US anyway - that market is not make or break for them.
    That's what people said about BBOS when US Sales declined...

    Can a manufacture of a device with enterprise grade security, and premium price points survive without the US? Of course they should be able to.

    But the real question is why isn't the US market buying into BBMo? Is it an indicator or just a result of some difficulty with that market? It's not just the US that hasn't embraced the KEY2.
    09-26-18 01:56 PM
  15. conite's Avatar
    That's what people said about BBOS when US Sales declined...

    Can a manufacture of a device with enterprise grade security, and premium price points survive without the US? Of course they should be able to.

    But the real question is why isn't the US market buying into BBMo? Is it an indicator or just a result of some difficulty with that market? It's not just the US that hasn't embraced the KEY2.
    I think TCL has a much bigger job to rebuild the brand in the US compared to many other markets.
    09-26-18 02:21 PM
  16. HostessCupcake's Avatar
    Why apologize if that was intent? I don’t apologize to people just because they don’t like how things are done. Buy different phone or whatever if you don’t like how things are done....
    Samsung did not intend for the Note 7 to catch on fire, but they apologized to customers and made a proactive recall. They didn't tell customers "wait until it catches on fire then call our warranty center in Mexico and we'll exchange it in 3-5 business days" like TCL did with the screens.

    Apologise to who, and for what?
    To customers who saved their hard-earned money to buy a device in April and weren't able to receive it until June due to their inability to meet their own promise.

    I don't think we know enough yet to prognosticate what will happen with the licensing agreement. We know that BlackBerry Mobile hasn't had any runaway hits yet, but we don't know what their sales trends or financials look like. For all we know they could be slightly profitable or very unprofitable at current volumes and satisfied with or horrified by the trends.

    TCL purchased BlackBerry so they wouldn't have to compete solely on specs and price (which they could have, and did, attempt without the brand). There's still no profits in mobile for them without the brand. If they end the licensing deal, I think they may also simply exit mobile.

    Posted with my trusty Z10
    TCL as a whole lost tens of millions of dollars last fiscal year. But it's not spelled out what the mobile unit did.

    I think TCL has a much bigger job to rebuild the brand in the US compared to many other markets.
    And releasing devices later than promised at high prices with screens that fall out are not helping. But of course none of that was avoidable or their fault because of the BIG Picture™.
    09-26-18 02:25 PM
  17. krazyatom's Avatar
    Do TCL owes a apologize for KEYone CDMA not getting a oreo too?
    Dunt Dunt Dunt likes this.
    09-26-18 02:40 PM
  18. the_boon's Avatar
    Samsung did not intend for the Note 7 to catch on fire, but they apologized to customers and made a proactive recall. They didn't tell customers "wait until it catches on fire then call our warranty center in Mexico and we'll exchange it in 3-5 business days" like TCL did with the screens.



    To customers who saved their hard-earned money to buy a device in April and weren't able to receive it until June due to their inability to meet their own promise.



    TCL as a whole lost tens of millions of dollars last fiscal year. But it's not spelled out what the mobile unit did.
    Concerning the Samsung Note 7 fiasco, there was a legit health hazard and they probably had alot of FCC pressure etc...
    If the screens were badly glued, I’m not so sure they would have done such a massive pro-active recall to the point of having booths in airports lol
    09-26-18 02:46 PM
  19. conite's Avatar
    Do TCL owes a apologize for KEYone CDMA not getting a oreo too?
    TCL would much prefer to give you Oreo. The very last thing they want to do is support a Nougat branch for the next couple of years.
    09-26-18 03:17 PM
  20. conite's Avatar
    Samsung did not intend for the Note 7 to catch on fire, but they apologized to customers and made a proactive recall. They didn't tell customers "wait until it catches on fire then call our warranty center in Mexico and we'll exchange it in 3-5 business days" like TCL did with the screens.



    To customers who saved their hard-earned money to buy a device in April and weren't able to receive it until June due to their inability to meet their own promise.



    TCL as a whole lost tens of millions of dollars last fiscal year. But it's not spelled out what the mobile unit did.



    And releasing devices later than promised at high prices with screens that fall out are not helping. But of course none of that was avoidable or their fault because of the BIG Picture.
    We have no idea how many initial KEYᵒⁿᵉs were affected. Mine wasn't. We don't have nearly enough information to judge whether they did the "right" thing, or the "smart" thing.

    The delay of the CDMA devices was due to Verizon. Until they decided to whitelist, there was no point in having product for sale.

    Anyone could have cancelled their order and been refunded their "hard-earned" money.

    Overall product fulfillment was slow at launch, because they grossly underestimated the demand. As a fan, I would only see that as a good thing.
    09-26-18 03:20 PM
  21. Chuck Finley69's Avatar
    I think TCL has a much bigger job to rebuild the brand in the US compared to many other markets.
    My point was to a bigger shift in the OEM space where I’m afraid many OEMs will disappear like in desktop and laptop market of the 90s and 00s. The carriers seem to be filling out mid-tier with existing OEMs than new players. Support could range to only fully supporting certain brands and even only supporting Enhanced features on just higher end devices. Similar to how PRD numbers control aspects now. I was in a AT&T store and OEM rep came in. Store was dead at time of day. OEM rep explained how latest discussion within their large Flagship OEM is how Google is now viewed as the biggest potential future competition as consumers across spectrum appear to prefer more consistency and uniformity even within Android.
    09-26-18 05:41 PM
  22. danfrancisco's Avatar
    I personally would like to see BlackBerry make a tiny comeback in the USA, but don't see a path to that happening.

    I'm content with BBMo catering to a niche market. If they can make up the sales in the absence of a viable US market, than more power to them. The question though, is that niche market enough to sustain this licensing venture that TCL has undertaken? Is it worth the investment to make razor thin margins if not break even? (btw: I have zero knowledge into how BBMo is doing financially) Is there a cross-sell long term strategy in play that starts by seeding TCL products through the BB user base and then expanding across other lines of business (I don't see a path there either)?

    I am legitimately curious as to what the C-level position is on this BB licensing deal.

    Personally, I'm glad they did it because it means that I can still buy BB devices in 2018 (and hopefully beyond).
    the_boon likes this.
    09-26-18 10:20 PM
  23. bb10adopter111's Avatar
    The bottom line is that the peak interest in mobile devices is far behind us. When "to notch or not to notch" is a topic for articles and discussions, hardware is no longer terribly relevant.

    App compatibility is a"lowest common denominator" that has already pretty much commoditized phones. Since they all run the same apps, only power users trying to squeeze more out of their devices will care which phone they carry. And that's a sliver of the population..

    As I prepare to move on from BB10 and give up on using mobile as my preferred email platform, I find that I simply don't care which Android or iOS device I have at hand, because it's no longer a bottleneck for my performance.
    Last edited by bb10adopter111; 09-27-18 at 04:03 PM.
    09-27-18 11:42 AM
  24. krazyatom's Avatar
    Does this mean that most carriers are not interested in key2 LE?
    09-27-18 11:43 AM
  25. thurask's Avatar
    Does this mean that most carriers are not interested in key2 LE?
    Other than some in Canada, that appears to be the case.
    09-27-18 12:29 PM
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