[Thunderbuck]

I think $800 price tag for a Passport is way too high for me. $650 is more realistic pricing if BlackBerry wants to attract bigger user base. It should not priced the same as the iPhone. iPhone has 1. Eco system. 2. Available customer service (Apple stores are everywhere) 3. Good resale value.
BB10 on Passport is great but people don't know that and they are very skeptical. The only thing BlackBerry can make it attractive is through pricing.

Using Z10, wanting Z30, eyeing Windermere

BlackBerry isn't trying to establish a "bigger user base" with the Passport. Even under the most optimistic scenario I can think of, they're not going to move more than a million by the end of calendar 2014. This is an "executive" device, not an Enterprise one. Think along the lines of the enormously expensive 20th Anniversary Macintosh that Apple built in the 90s

[Vorkosigan]

BlackBerry isn't trying to establish a "bigger user base" with the Passport. Even under the most optimistic scenario I can think of, they're not going to move more than a million by the end of calendar 2014. This is an "executive" device, not an Enterprise one. Think along the lines of the enormously expensive 20th Anniversary Macintosh that Apple built in the 90s

This^

BlackBerry won't under price this phone to attract buyers and they shouldn't. It's not the type of phone that ppl are going to go in and compare to other phones anyway. I think the ppl buying the passport will be looking for it - or will at least be looking for an upgrade path from an older BlackBerry.

It may pull some some curious people from other platforms, but I wouldn't expect too many.

For myself, I feel that $800 is a bit high - was hoping for $650 but prepared for it to be $700. However, this is the phone I want. Apple doesn't give me any value over BlackBerry, I'm not a fan of android, and with a Windows phone I lose the hub. It may delay my purchase a month or two, but that's about it.

Of course - this is still just a rumour anyway so I can hold out hope for $650.

Posted via CB10

[dejanh]

BlackBerry isn't trying to establish a "bigger user base" with the Passport. Even under the most optimistic scenario I can think of, they're not going to move more than a million by the end of calendar 2014. This is an "executive" device, not an Enterprise one. Think along the lines of the enormously expensive 20th Anniversary Macintosh that Apple built in the 90s

Wait, wasn't it BlackBerry that published the "Everyone likes a good comeback" ad while displaying the picture of a BlackBerry Passport?

They seem to think this is their comeback phone...so?

Posted via CB10

[Mr4aces]

I can not believe people thought this phone would be under $600, I thought it would be $700-800 there is no way BB can release this phone under $600. MG I paid $600 for the 9900 when it came out. Think of the PassPort as a 3 year device and not an 18mo device.

App developers will start programing for the 4.5" square screen and other phone companies will follow with the 1 to 1 ratio.

[yessuz]

If it's 800, I will pass, sorry but it's not worth that kind of money. I can get an iPhone 6+ 64 gig for 849.00 US which is the much better buy. I might look at the passport in a couple of months when the price drops because of poor sales.

Sent from my Lovely z30 on T Mobile USA (10.3.0.1154)

or you can get Z30 and PS4

[world traveler and former ceo]

Passport will the the most innovative high end productivity smartphone for 2014.... standing out amongst the sheep.... lol

Getting it. Lol Oct 1! Lol...

From my z30.....

Posted via CB10

[Mr4aces]

Passport will the the most innovative high end productivity smartphone for 2014.... standing out amongst the sheep.... lol

Getting it. Lol Oct 1! Lol...

From my z30.....

Posted via CB10

I think it is an extreme design and I hope it does well for BlackBerry. It is just way to big for me and my needs don't require a big screen at this time. Should my needs change I would buy a PassPort instead of carrying 2 devices. I think it would be worth the $800 only because it will be good for 3 years and it replaces having to carry 2 devices.

Who knows I have someone trying to talk me out of retirement. Should this happen I will need a phone and a laptop. If that is the case I will look at the PassPort. Until then I will be 'forced' to buy a Q20(Classic) because the 9900 is obsolete.

Just to remind op I'm opposed to heavy cell phone use-age due to cancer. Here is a link here in CB:
http://forums.crackberry.com/rehab-o...e-wish-930381/

[DaedalusIcarusHelios]

BB is not a niche, it became a niche because less than 1% of the people have it!
if Nexus or Moto can justify their price then how can u say BB is? Moto X has the same specs as the Z30 but is available for half the price, so its one of the best selling phones! And please dont tell me Z30 is this and that, the thing is, people doesnt care to know, they just compare the specs and buy it! When Z10's price was reduced to less than half it was initially sold for, a lot of people, a hell lot of people bought it! That is definitely a better profitable option for BlackBerry than selling one in a million!

Posted via CB10

They always were the enterprise option. They had some success that spilled over to consumers and they lost focus and couldn't compete there, and now they are focused more than ever because of that crash. That humbled BlackBerry and makes them even more focused on their niche.

The prices of Android phones is a race to the bottom. Most Android vendors make little to no money, or are losing money. BlackBerry can't subsidize the price for the benefit of market share, and it wouldn't help anyway. So they must make their devices cater to a profitable demographic, which is their original focus of enterprise and regulated industries.

Posted via CB10

[insandouts]

BlackBerry isn't trying to establish a "bigger user base" with the Passport. Even under the most optimistic scenario I can think of, they're not going to move more than a million by the end of calendar 2014. This is an "executive" device, not an Enterprise one. Think along the lines of the enormously expensive 20th Anniversary Macintosh that Apple built in the 90s

A million?...it will move what the Amazon Fire moved less than 50,000

[dejanh]

A million?...it will move what the Amazon Fire moved less than 50,000

Ok, I think (well, hope anyway) that it won't be that low. I'm expecting maybe quarter million at best.

Posted via CB10

[Thunderbuck]

Wait, wasn't it BlackBerry that published the "Everyone likes a good comeback" ad while displaying the picture of a BlackBerry Passport?

They seem to think this is their comeback phone...so?

Posted via CB10

It can be an "executive phone", a "comeback phone", and a "damn expensive" phone all at the same time.

I liken it to the Studebaker Avanti back in the early 60s. Like BlackBerry, Studebaker had been a respected brand that suddenly saw a steep decline, and they decided to build a car to tell the world what they were made of.

This is what they got:

http://ts1.mm.bing.net/th?u=http%3a%...1.8625&pid=1.7

Still widely regarded as one of the most amazing designs EVER.

In Studebaker's case, the Avanti really WAS "too little too late" because the bleeding was just too heavy for them by then. At least BlackBerry is stabilizing.

Posted from CB10 running on my awesome Z30 2B6927F7

[jevinzac]

I guess you didn't see that they had to write down a billion on Z10's. That isn't a profitable option to me. But I guess you as a CEO know better than me.

And why did they had to write down a billion on Z10's? Cuz Z10 was priced crazily! And nobody bought it! So their only chance to clear those extra Z10's was to reduce its price! And people bought it! And how can this not be a profitable option? No-one bought it in the beginning,and what profit BB got from it?later millions of Z10's were sold because of the price reduction and am sure they got some profit out of it! So its better than nothing!

Posted via CB10

[app_Developer]

One or two weeks later in the US sounds fantastic. But why no US launch event?

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

[Thunderbuck]

One or two weeks later in the US sounds fantastic. But why no US launch event?

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

Managing expectations?

Posted from CB10 running on my awesome Z30 2B6927F7

[irweezyy]

Shutupandtakemymoney

Posted via CB10

[app_Developer]

Managing expectations?

Posted from CB10 running on my awesome Z30 2B6927F7

So they will do a US event two weeks later? I'm not following what you mean.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

[jevinzac]

I dont understand why people are telling BB doesnt want normal people to buy their phone and especially their passport! They started Advertising on the front page of the newspapers and putting huge billboards on Malls about it and that device is going to their COMEBACK! What do u get from this? Does this mean that they are targetting only a quarter of a million people as someone above me just said? Is BB mad to waste money on advertisements for just a quarter of a million people? They didnt even make a single ad for the Z30! Why is that?
BB wants to sell millions and millions of Passport and they know it, but they cannot with this price tag!
You guys are blindingly supporting BB, on whatever they are doing no matter what!

Posted via CB10

[Thunderbuck]

A million?...it will move what the Amazon Fire moved less than 50,000

As tempting as it is to simply dismiss you as a troll, I'm going to take you on.

The Fire phone didn't have a lot to offer. It looks boring (no, not "clean", or "simple"--boring). It offered a gimmicky 3D interface that looks cool but doesn't actually improve usability. And it locked you into Amazon's ecosystem in bad ways.

The Passport certainly looks unusual, but those odd looks are driven by function. The slim keyboard has wide, easy to strike keys, and the touchpad is really unique on a mobile device.

I think that Amazon's intent was to create an attractive device that would hook people in. I think BlackBerry tried to make the Passport a genuinely great device. There's a difference.

Posted from CB10 running on my awesome Z30 2B6927F7

[Thunderbuck]

So they will do a US event two weeks later? I'm not following what you mean.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

I don't think there's a lot of Americans waiting for this device. Doing a higher profile launch would likely attract more ridicule than positive buzz.

Posted from CB10 running on my awesome Z30 2B6927F7

[Thunderbuck]

I dont understand why people are telling BB doesnt want normal people to buy their phone and especially their passport! They started Advertising on the front page of the newspapers and putting huge billboards on Malls about it and that device is going to their COMEBACK! What do u get from this? Does this mean that they are targetting only a quarter of a million people as someone above me just said? Is BB mad to waste money on advertisements for just a quarter of a million people? They didnt even make a single ad for the Z30! Why is that?
BB wants to sell millions and millions of Passport and they know it, but they cannot with this price tag!
You guys are blindingly supporting BB, on whatever they are doing no matter what!

Posted via CB10

The "comeback" ad had little to do with the phone. It just uses the Passport's image because it's the next upcoming product.

That ad was more about what the company is doing now and how they plan to succeed. Product promotion is a very different thing.

Posted from CB10 running on my awesome Z30 2B6927F7

[jevinzac]

The "comeback" ad had little to do with the phone. It just uses the Passport's image because it's the next upcoming product.

That ad was more about what the company is doing now and how they plan to succeed. Product promotion is a very different thing.

Posted from CB10 running on my awesome Z30 2B6927F7

Why didnt they use the Classics image then? Lol u guys find excuses for everything!
And on Malls, they had a billboard with preorder price tag and the same "COMEBACK" on it with the Passports image, do u think thats a coincidence?:P

Posted via CB10

[Hai Bo]

Targeting enterprise is just an BBRY effort to differentiate itself, or to try not having to say "We can't compete in the consumer market". After all who doesn't want high sale volume?
The price thing has also been discussed here: http://forums.crackberry.com/blackbe...sively-956470/
There I personally find that there is more ground and reasons for a medium price, or lower than what's being speculated. BBRY can't price arrogantly, especially now.

[Bluenoser63]

And why did they had to write down a billion on Z10's? Cuz Z10 was priced crazily! And nobody bought it! So their only chance to clear those extra Z10's was to reduce its price! And people bought it! And how can this not be a profitable option? No-one bought it in the beginning,and what profit BB got from it?later millions of Z10's were sold because of the price reduction and am sure they got some profit out of it! So its better than nothing!

Posted via CB10

I would love to see you prove that statement.

[Bluenoser63]

I dont understand why people are telling BB doesnt want normal people to buy their phone and especially their passport! They started Advertising on the front page of the newspapers and putting huge billboards on Malls about it and that device is going to their COMEBACK! What do u get from this? Does this mean that they are targetting only a quarter of a million people as someone above me just said? Is BB mad to waste money on advertisements for just a quarter of a million people? They didnt even make a single ad for the Z30! Why is that?
BB wants to sell millions and millions of Passport and they know it, but they cannot with this price tag!
You guys are blindingly supporting BB, on whatever they are doing no matter what!

Posted via CB10

JAACEO

[jevinzac]

I would love to see you prove that statement.

I would love to see you disprove that statement

Posted via CB10