[xtremesniper]

I want this phone to be cheap/affordable too, but seriously you're doing yourself a disservice by comparing the prices to existing in-market phones that have been on sale for months now.

If the price bothers you, just wait a few months until it's as old as the phones it's being compared against, and you'll be happier with the price.

Brand new phone = brand new price.

[wincyUt]

They should do a promo launch, like for 10 days give a $200 discount when it's released.

That's a great idea; it would make $749 look like a bargain.

[Al moon]

I want this phone to be cheap/affordable too, but seriously you're doing yourself a disservice by comparing the prices to existing in-market phones that have been on sale for months now.

If the price bothers you, just wait a few months until it's as old as the phones it's being compared against, and you'll be happier with the price.

Brand new phone = brand new price.

the price woudnt be a problem if they had top notch customer service along with easy as pie return/repair service

[lukatrifunovict]

I think that they release high price at beginning and only people that want first will buy premium, and after a few months the price should be lower. The problem is that there are people that will only look at price once, and will lose interest, even after few months pass, they'll think the price is the same without going to website to check.

My opinions. If I read initial prices correctly, maybe the situation was same for Z30 and Q10, then the prices got cut but since I've bought my First BlackBerry this year, I don't know if I'm right about this answer.

Black, BlackBerry Z30/ 10.3.2.2789

[Witmen]

Chen wants to get out of the hardware market. If they don't sell because they refuse to price them right, knowing that they have been over priced in the past, then they can say they tried their best to make them sell. Getting out of the hardware business without doing it verbally outright.

I rarely agree with you, but I do here.

This is insane, BlackBerry comes up with what could be a very competitive smartphone (both the hardware and software could/will be attractive to a lot of buyers) and then they give it a non-competitive price. At this price point, it truly does seem that they just want this phone fail.

[wincyUt]

Dude. F this. I can get a galaxy S6 edge for $400 unlocked

Posted via BlackBerry Passport Silver Edition

What's stopping you? Get the S6, they are all phones unless you really want BB Prive, like I do.

[irweezyy]

MicroSD "Up to 2TB"? They make those!?

" Capacitive Touch Keyboard: Allows navigation gestures, fine cursor control" cursor!

Posted via CB10

I was waiting for cursor control on passport, no idea why it hasn't come yet but it's good news that they got it on Priv

Posted via CB10

[Gregory Ryan]

I was waiting for cursor control on passport, no idea why it hasn't come yet but it's good news that they got it on Priv

Posted via CB10

I think they're referring to the cursor circle that can be moved in text fields that IS on the passport

[Superfly_FR]

IMHO.

This whole debate of public prices is useless.
What matters is the ASP and the margins they have to reach to obtain profitability with a 5mil. target (hey, BTW, is that Priv alone ?). What I mean here is that it's not a marketing plan to shine the brand name buy acquiring customers, whatever the cost.

It's a final (?) attempt to sell an original (KB/Security) and high specs device aimed to a segment of users who don't really care about +/- $50 (a $100 swing).
Chen has been clear : it's high end device and price. So, take the high end price in your country (IP6S+ ?), apply it to the device: You're set with a reasonable expectation.

BUT he also understated that BlackBerry will help making it affordable for most. How ? We don't know.
THIS information might be the one which really matters.
(edit/added : and you won't see that during the pre-order round)

Obviously, only a few weeks (days ?) before we know.

[anon4226395]

Chen wants to get out of the hardware market. If they don't sell because they refuse to price them right, knowing that they have been over priced in the past, then they can say they tried their best to make them sell. Getting out of the hardware business without doing it verbally outright.

This is impossible. The B o D, and all those people of have worked to create this device would never stand for it. Its a completely ridiculous theory. If he mooted that ever, It would haunt him throughout his future career, as well as screwing up his stock options, CEO's of public companies just don't enjoy that power. Beside, there is nothing in this man's background that would support such a wild theory (which is arguably libelous btw)

[chenageddon]

IMHO.

This whole debate of public prices is useless.
What matters is the ASP and the margins they have to reach to obtain profitability with a 5mil. target

There's your problem. In competitive marketplace it doesn't matter what your internal cost structure is - the customer doesn't care. You can't set pricing according to your own needs.

[Superfly_FR]

Chen wants to get out of the hardware market. If they don't sell because they refuse to price them right, knowing that they have been over priced in the past, then they can say they tried their best to make them sell. Getting out of the hardware business without doing it verbally outright.

Sorry, but that's fiction.
According to [what I understand in] your post, they basically spent $Xhundred mil. just to have an excuse ?
lol. They don't need to. They could have thrown the towel outright. Previous statements made by Chen were enough for that.
IMHO if they go that way, they have more than reasonable arguments to do so.

(100% speculative = > ) Tell me they have to send at least one device on the field to bulletproof their Android+HW security and be able to license it or go OEM-like, then I can listen. But seriously, and very respectfully, the quoted story has no legs.

[Superfly_FR]

There's your problem. In competitive marketplace it doesn't matter what your internal cost structure is - the customer doesn't care. You can't set pricing according to your own needs.

That's how I read they built their plans.
1/ What device (OS, specs) ?
2/ How much to secure and build it ?
3/ What achievable # in sales ?
=
Set the price.

Of course this is iterative thinking and the order is purely for "clari-sympli-fication".
But overall, yeah, I believe that's what they did.

[chenageddon]

I think he simply has set a low bar on volume. 500K units sounds about right at this price. There will likely be very little marketing. Later on, he will say that the Priv was very profitable on a per-unit basis even though the hardware division lost money.

[Xadion]

I suspect a 700ish USD price with a good trade in current BlackBerry phone users etc.

This would have to be through strong carrier agreements etc.

Posted via CB10

[lnichols]

Sorry, but that's fiction.
According to [what I understand in] your post, they basically spent $hundreds mil. just to have an excuse ?
lol. They don't need to. They could have thrown the towel outright. Previous statements made by Chen were enough for that.
IMHO if they go that way, they have more than reasonable arguments to do so.

Tell me they have to send at least one device on the field to bulletproof their Android+HW security and be able to license it or go OEM-like, then I can listen. But seriously, and very respectfully, the quoted story has no legs.

Wrong. If they bailed on hardware without putting effort in, which they still haven't IMHO, then they would upset and likely lose a fair amount of BES customers. They have been telling BES customers they are committed to BB10 and blah, blah, blah to keep them from defecting. This device is to show BES customers that BB10/BES combo is not needed for security, and to show that they can't compete in hardware business. They will license out the good stuff in the Priv to Android OEM's that want to get regulated business, and be software and security company. Everything John Chen has done from day one has been to work towards the death of hardware, while keeping BES sales and customers from defecting. Every device released, and all of the poor marketing, was known that it would not get consumer appeal. GOOD purchase was another hedge to keep customers that will be ditching BB10 and going to iOS because most regulated customers will not purchase Android even by BlackBerry without a lot of lengthy testing, but already have iOS approved and ready to go.

[Joao Oliveira]

They removed the Priv from the website. It's not there at the moment

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

IMHO.

This whole debate of public prices is useless.
What matters is the ASP and the margins they have to reach to obtain profitability with a 5mil. target (hey, BTW, is that Priv alone ?). What I mean here is that it's not a marketing plan to shine the brand name buy acquiring customers, whatever the cost.

It's a final (?) attempt to sell an original (KB/Security) and high specs device aimed to a segment of users who don't really care about +/- $50 (a $100 swing).
Chen has been clear : it's high end device and price. So, take the high end price in your country (IP6S+ ?), apply it to the device: You're set with a reasonable expectation.

BUT he also understated that BlackBerry will help making it affordable for most. How ? We don't know.
THIS information might be the one which really matters.

Obviously, only a few weeks (days ?) before we know.

Sorry but even if he comes up with some kinda affordable payment plan.... there are BETTER Speced and CHEAPER devices on the market that have name brand recognition and superior customer support. And don't require payment plans to buy them.....

PRIV has claims of better privacy and a physical keyboard, two thing that have not helped BlackBerry in the past, so I doubt it will help them now.

I understand they need to make money, I understand they have to pay more for the hardware, I understand they have more overhead in securing Android, and I understand the pricing of the PRIV is actually a DEAL when compared to the BlackPhone and the KNOX devices.

What I don't understand is why BlackBerry hasn't just moved to a BlackPhone or KNOX type distribution system, instead of still trying to play in the consumer market. Just go full direct to customer, allow for sales to consumers that want them... but don't make it appear like you are really trying to compete in the consumer market.

Right now whenever the NDAs expire and everyone starts releasing reviews.... the reviews not on BlackBerry fan sites will be affected by the PRICE. They won't just say in one sentence at the end that it's a little overpriced. But every comment will be based on the price. The 808 Processor..... 2MP Front Facing Camera..... Older Wi-Fi specs.... Older USB specs... lack of standard features like Fingerprint (I know not real security). These would get overlooked if the PRIV was $599 US or lower. But from a consumer standpoint they will make the $749 US PRIV seem like a bad joke. Where as if BlackBerry had release the PRIV to go against the BlackPhone.... there would be little said about the price.

[AluminiumRims]

Good luck at competing with other Android phones with a price tag of $749.

[anon4226395]

Right now whenever the NDAs expire and everyone starts releasing reviews.... the reviews not on BlackBerry fan sites will be affected by the PRICE. They won't just say in one sentence at the end that it's a little overpriced. But every comment will be based on the price. The 808 Processor..... 2MP Front Facing Camera..... Older Wi-Fi specs.... Older USB specs... lack of standard features like Fingerprint (I know not real security). These would get overlooked if the PRIV was $599 US or lower. But from a consumer standpoint they will make the $749 US PRIV seem like a bad joke. Where as if BlackBerry had release the PRIV to go against the BlackPhone.... there would be little said about the price.

So true, my thoughts exactly.

[Bluenoser63]

Sorry, but that's fiction.
According to [what I understand in] your post, they basically spent $Xhundred mil. just to have an excuse ?
lol. They don't need to. They could have thrown the towel outright. Previous statements made by Chen were enough for that.
IMHO if they go that way, they have more than reasonable arguments to do so.

(100% speculative = > ) Tell me they have to send at least one device on the field to bulletproof their Android+HW security and be able to license it or go OEM-like, then I can listen. But seriously, and very respectfully, the quoted story has no legs.

They can't throw in the towel outright as hardware makes up a large portion of the revenue. ~40%. If revenue fell by that much, the stock price would be a blood bath. They have to take a controlled out approach.

[rambo47]

Seems like link won't open in my z30 browser, but works on laptop.

Posted via CB10

That's kind of a slap in the face.

[bobshine]

iPhone 6s Plus pricing.

The 6S + is $750 for 16 GB

Posted via CB10

[Iggy City]

The 6S + is $750 for 16 GB

Posted via CB10

You're forgetting that the vast majority of people would rather buy the iPhone than the Priv at that price.

For $650? Now it looks more enticing.

[tp2386]

$749!? Please let this be a joke. No way I can justify paying that much, especially while being married. Anybody need a kidney?