[MarsupilamiX]

I like the price. No brand new phone is going for below 600. Besides some budget Androids and Windows Phones.

At least now there's a cheap BlackBerry option

Posted via CB10

You're not living in the same reality I usually reside in, do you?
600$ is the price for brand new high-end phones from the established manufacturers.
300$ is the mid range for said manufacturers, and nearly the high-end for local Android manufacturers.
150$ is the low-end device bracket.
Sub 100$ is the entry level bracket.

Going by the specs the Rio is basically a Z10.
A Z10, is a low-end device nowadays.
BlackBerry wants to sell the Rio for 300$? It should be DOA for enterprises and consumers alike.

I really hope they discard this device. This kind of strategy hurts BlackBerry a lot, and let me give a recent example with the BlackBerry Classic.

It has been recently "reviewed" in one of the most famous technology blogs in Spain. The feature they outline over the rest is that the SoC (processor) is three years old! It does not matter if the UI is fluent, the device is robust or the productivity is high. It is those details that make a complete marketing failure.

What prevents BlackBerry from giving people what they want? Passport is not a success because of it weirdness, but because of the specs. And it is not much more expensive than the Classic.

It's a marketing failure on 2 fronts, when we are honest:

1) The device is perceived as outdated and bad, even if it might work well enough.

2) It's a failure in terms of pricing.
You just can't ask 450$ for a phone with 3 year old hardware (Classic) nowadays.
This actually aggravates the failure described in your post and my 1).
If the Classic would cost 250$, the choice of 3 year old outdated hardware wouldn't have been that much of a negative point.

For all of those supporting BlackBerry's decision of using such outdated processors, have you figured out how much do they cost compared to high end ones?

The margins on the Classic and the Rio must be obscenely high.
I searched the net to see what a bulk order of over 10k units would cost me, for the SoC.
I nearly cried, after seeing the price, and people defending the 450$ price tag on the Classic.
For the case of BlackBerry having all these SoCs in stock from their projected Z10/Q10/Q5 sales, then the margins should actually be even better, simply because of the write-offs.
(yeah, I know, the SoC is only one part. But anyone who believes that huge orders of outdated screens or standardised 2GB RAM bars actually cost a lot, are living in a dream land)

[smart548]

You're not living in the same reality I usually reside in, do you?
600$ is the price for brand new high-end phones from the established manufacturers.
300$ is the mid range for said manufacturers, and nearly the high-end for local Android manufacturers.
150$ is the low-end device bracket.
Sub 100$ is the entry level bracket.

Going by the specs the Rio is basically a Z10.
A Z10, is a low-end device nowadays.
BlackBerry wants to sell the Rio for 300$? It should be DOA for enterprises and consumers alike.



It's a marketing failure on 2 fronts, when we are honest:

1) The device is perceived as outdated and bad, even if it might work well enough.

2) It's a failure in terms of pricing.
You just can't ask 450$ for a phone with 3 year old hardware (Classic) nowadays.
This actually aggravates the failure described in your post and my 1).
If the Classic would cost 250$, the choice of 3 year old outdated hardware wouldn't have been that much of a negative point.



The margins on the Classic and the Rio must be obscenely high.
I searched the net to see what a bulk order of over 10k units would cost me, for the SoC.
I nearly cried, after seeing the price, and people defending the 450$ price tag on the Classic.
For the case of BlackBerry having all these SoCs in stock from their projected Z10/Q10/Q5 sales, then the margins should actually be even better, simply because of the write-offs.
(yeah, I know, the SoC is only one part. But anyone who believes that huge orders of outdated screens or standardised 2GB RAM bars actually cost a lot, are living in a dream land)

What about the price of a PHYSICAL KEYBOARD, a toolbelt or in general the material BlackBerry uses for their devices?? Never had a stronger device than a BB. I am happy to pay 100-150$ more for a device that will last me more than a year.. It's a lot like TV.. you can get a 42'' UHD TV from a cheap manufacturer for around 500$. Same spec TV from a "good" manufacturer costs around 700$.. And that applies for almost everything..a cotton t-shirt can cost you 3$ as well as 25$..and it is always cotton-made..

[smart548]

That beeing said, I would have loved to see a little better specs for this device..As well as I would have equipped the Classic with the same SOC as the Z30..

[Halueth]

Will we get a rounder Rio?

Posted via CB10

[MarsupilamiX]

What about the price of a PHYSICAL KEYBOARD, a toolbelt or in general the material BlackBerry uses for their devices?? Never had a stronger device than a BB. I am happy to pay 100-150$ more for a device that will last me more than a year.. It's a lot like TV.. you can get a 42'' UHD TV from a cheap manufacturer for around 500$. Same spec TV from a "good" manufacturer costs around 700$.. And that applies for almost everything..a cotton t-shirt can cost you 3$ as well as 25$..and it is always cotton-made..

I gave the keyboard (and toolbelt) an imaginary mark-up of 100$ over a normal 150$ tier phone, when I said that BlackBerry should have demanded 250$, instead of 450$.
The components used in the Classic are on the level of 150$ phones. Low-end material.

It also isn't like the 300$ high-end phones from local manufacturers are falling apart when you look at them. They are actually getting raving reviews from everyone who understands what those devices actually are:
They are Samsung Galaxy Note 4s/Sony Z3s, LG G3s.... For half of the price.
Not to forget, at 450$, I can get a lot of alternative phones that all outperform the Classic.

If someone is willing to overpay 300$ for a low range phone, because it has a keyboard, then I will never understand it, but hey, said person got a keyboard.
With the Rio, the keyboard USP has completely vanished.
How will BlackBerry justify a 100% price increase, over competing phones in the 300$ range?
The specs of the Rio are on the level of 150$ phones...

[smart548]

What about-again-build quality? Have you seen on N4BB how robust the Passport is?? Try to do such a test with a Samsung or an iphone..

[MarsupilamiX]

What about-again-build quality? Have you seen on N4BB how robust the Passport is?? Try to do such a test with a Samsung or an iphone..

What exactly is the relation between your post, and the Z20? Just wondering.

[Bbnivende]

In Canada a Nokia 830 sells for $400. The Nokia has a better camera, better build ( I have held it and it is nicer than a Z30). The Nokia also has a App gap. I think that if BlackBerry prices the device around $249 -$279 (cdn) That would be about right.

I do not think that anyone who might buy a Rio are that much interested in the processor speed. The anticipated mediocre camera is a bigger concern.

[LuvULongTime]

You're not living in the same reality I usually reside in, do you?
600$ is the price for brand new high-end phones from the established manufacturers.
300$ is the mid range for said manufacturers, and nearly the high-end for local Android manufacturers.
150$ is the low-end device bracket.
Sub 100$ is the entry level bracket.

Going by the specs the Rio is basically a Z10.
A Z10, is a low-end device nowadays.
BlackBerry wants to sell the Rio for 300$? It should be DOA for enterprises and consumers alike.



It's a marketing failure on 2 fronts, when we are honest:

1) The device is perceived as outdated and bad, even if it might work well enough.

2) It's a failure in terms of pricing.
You just can't ask 450$ for a phone with 3 year old hardware (Classic) nowadays.
This actually aggravates the failure described in your post and my 1).
If the Classic would cost 250$, the choice of 3 year old outdated hardware wouldn't have been that much of a negative point.



The margins on the Classic and the Rio must be obscenely high.
I searched the net to see what a bulk order of over 10k units would cost me, for the SoC.
I nearly cried, after seeing the price, and people defending the 450$ price tag on the Classic.
For the case of BlackBerry having all these SoCs in stock from their projected Z10/Q10/Q5 sales, then the margins should actually be even better, simply because of the write-offs.
(yeah, I know, the SoC is only one part. But anyone who believes that huge orders of outdated screens or standardised 2GB RAM bars actually cost a lot, are living in a dream land)

The RIO must also be targeted at enterprise. That's the only logical explanation for the obscene price. Enterprises negotiate discounts so they won't ever be paying that. And if a consumer really wants the phone, well then, $299 please.

[Matty]

So this is supposed to be launching in Feb.... but no news on any launch date planned.. possibly cancelled?

Posted via BlackBerry Q5 on 10.2.1.3442

[Calvin Chin]

Well... I am expecting a 3k+ battery or something battery-life-optimize all touch BlackBerry phone. I don't like the Rio... I still love my Z30 with Paratek Antenna. High quality built, glass-weaved battery cover, the sound is just loud and clear enough! They should push advance features for new Z30, such as bigger battery, more rams or a version of optimized OS!

Posted via CB10

[DYLANHABKIRK]

So this is supposed to be launching in Feb.... but no news on any launch date planned.. possibly cancelled?

Posted via BlackBerry Q5 on 10.2.1.3442

Or never on the table *pensive*

Posted via CB10

[Bbnivende]

Well... I am expecting a 3k+ battery or something battery-life-optimize all touch BlackBerry phone. I don't like the Rio... I still love my Z30 with Paratek Antenna. High quality built, glass-weaved battery cover, the sound is just loud and clear enough! They should push advance features for new Z30, such as bigger battery, more rams or a version of optimized OS!

Posted via CB10

Besides a style update it needs a Passport quality screen and processor.

[kfh227]

The price of a phone is not just the hardware cost.w

[Matty]

Or never on the table *pensive*

Posted via CB10

interesting to *hear* you say that. N4BB might have gotten some info mixed up. Still keen for new devices. I'm looking forward to a replacement for my Q5 (budget range) and I'm sure many are looking to replace their Z10's

Posted via BlackBerry Q5 on 10.2.1.3442

[MarsupilamiX]

The price of a phone is not just the hardware cost.w

This is obviously true, but of no importance to theoretical buyers.
Phones with basically the same specs (but an actual ecosystem) have a price of around 150$.
So, that 300$ wouldn't be the hardware cost is obvious. The Hardware cost for something like the Rio, should be well under 100$.

I mean, even for Enterprise buyers the Rio is exepensive, relatively speaking and compared to other phones.
If those buyers can't get the Rio for around 200$ (if it is real), already at smaller order numbers, I don't see the point of offering the phone at all tbh.

[anon(6168981)]

Do we know that the Rio is even officially happening?

[smart548]

Do we know that the Rio is even officially happening?

You know nothing John Snow...

Posted via CB10

[Matty]

Do we know that the Rio is even officially happening?

There appears to be no device coming, we will most likely have to wait till MWC on March 2nd for any news on BlackBerry devices

EDIT: according to Dhabkirk, there "RIO" will be launching in April. So that's only about 3 months away.
Posted via BlackBerry Q5 on 10.2.1.3442

[ehteshm12]

No doubt BlackBerry Z30 is better spec phone than Z10,
And I am damn sure that BlackBerry Z20 will be appreciated in market with better response.....but why the hell BlackBerry is overpricing their devices....in this era more the spec then less the cost....knowing of these market strategies....still BlackBerry is not focusing on price....

Posted via CB10

[tonythecanuck]

It's a step down from the Z30. The Z30 is awesome!

Posted using my BlackBerry Z30.

[kfh227]

Ya, so the Rio is renamed and the specs are nothing I would leave a z10 over.

God, so tempted to go back to android at this point. Blackberry better provide insight into the next mod/high end full screen model at MWC or I might be done with the Zxx line.

Posted via CB10

[tonythecanuck]

Where's my Z50 ?

Posted using my BlackBerry Z30.

[anon(8163415)]

That beeing said, I would have loved to see a little better specs for this device..As well as I would have equipped the Classic with the same SOC as the Z30..

You make a great point. At the very least, BlackBerry should have used the Z30 as a low end spec benchmark. Nothing below these specs should have been used regardless.
So now the RIO is said to have similar spec's as the Z10. The screen quality better be as good if not better than the Z10. And to attract people and help them look beyond the OLD Spec's, the CAMERA must be at least 13MP if not higher. That alone is the final decision people make when purchasing a device.

As for the cost, this device cannot cost more than $200. Throw a much better camera, and maybe $250. Throw in a few more extra hardware features and MAX $300.

[anon(8163415)]

No doubt BlackBerry Z30 is better spec phone than Z10,
And I am damn sure that BlackBerry Z20 will be appreciated in market with better response.....but why the hell BlackBerry is overpricing their devices....in this era more the spec then less the cost....knowing of these market strategies....still BlackBerry is not focusing on price....

Posted via CB10

Both Z10 and Z30 have there distinct features. But they are unfortunately a mixed bag for some reason.
Z10 has a much better screen and clarity.
Z30 better battery, speed, and slightly better spec's.

My point, there's not enough between the two to justify a upgrade from the Z10 to a Z30. Though I don't think BlackBerry meant to use the Z30 as an upgrade to the Z10, due to how quickly it was released after the Z10. Nevertheless, my original assumption is BlackBerry messed up the device names, and it seems John Chen is trying to rectify this. Though the BlackBerry "Leap" is a bad name, that RIO is not leaping nowhere of significance.