[SlcCorrado]

It's not about 'fanboys', it's about the overwhelming majority of the public. Keyboard qwerty fans are a small minority. They are very important to BlackBerry, and so there should be a phone for them, and the next flagship should indeed be a qwerty, if only to make the Q10 cheaper, but going back to what has been proven unpopular in order to sell more phones doesn't make sense. I'm hoping he knows this, and doesn't actually intend to hold off on a new touchscreen for Christmas 2014.

Posted via CB10

What's popular in some places, isn't necessarily popular in others. When they announced that OS7 devices were still outselling BB10 devices, I doubt they were talking about the Storm line

*edit:

Don't get me wrong though, I would love to see more touchscreen devices from BlackBerry. I was just pointing out the fact that as CEO, Chen is going to focus on what he thinks is the right direction for BlackBerry.

[Pilot Prop]

This is the only thing I've heard from him that is absolutely mad. I'm fine with him bringing out another Qwerty next, seeing as the Z30 just came out, but not to bring out one flagship flatscreen a year would be utter lunacy.

Some people love the physical keyboard, and of course they should bring out more and better, but the main reason BlackBerry got themselves in this mess was not moving to the full screens. Chen is going to lose a whole generation on consumers if 2014 doesn't see a BlackBerry 10 full screen flagship that can dance with whatever Apple and Samsung deliver.

So, do you guys think he is serious? Have I misunderstood him? Do you disagree with my statement, and think I'm mad? Personally, I love BlackBerry 10, but I have absolutely no interest in physical keyboard, which I actually find slower than the BlackBerry 10 keyboard on my Z10.

Posted via CB10

i feel like the OP reached with this one. Chen has already said that QWERTY devices are the only ones being developed.

[stabstabdie]

i feel like the OP reached with this one. Chen has already said that QWERTY devices are the only ones being developed.

No he didn't.

[RyanGermann]

The physical keyboard is currently a niche product, so I don't think Chen would stop making virtual keyboard phones.

I would characterize it as "touchscreen devices where the screen is not a 16 x 9 or 16 x 10 aspect ratio (or similar) is a niche product". The keyboard doesn't make the Q series "niche"... the screen size / aspect ratio does, in my opinion.

SLIDER!

[freedomx20a]

yay! for Q10 owners. I love to see a Z50 with a physical keyboard on the bottom. would be sweet! and just take off the keyboard make it touch for those who want that. They should design this one device that can be both.

[BBUK14]

I'll repeat for the last time, and sit back and read what you guys have to say, as I'm interested: keyboards are still not the future. When included in the whole of society, almost nobody is a businessman. You simply cannot sell millions and millions and millions of phones to 45+ businessmen.

Obviously, he is selling a low end touch device next, but one killer Z phone a year is a must. Full stop.

Posted via CB10

[ikalinin]

its funny how the media has an impact on the public.. including all you guys here on the forum.

here is what Chen said.
�I personally love the keyboards�
"In the future, the company's phones will predominantly have physical keyboards..."

So they will focus on keyboards MORE than touch devices.. thats fine. but that does NOT mean they will STOP having the touchscreen.
Their entire bb10 experience is based on a touch screen device, and the z30 takes it to an awesome level.. they will NOT let that go.

This is similar to the story about BlackBerry focusing on Enterprise and "ditching" the device.
the Media at its best.

so relax everyone.. if they make keyboard phones, awesome! but they will definitely have a touch device also. I mean, do we really need 2-3 touch devices? no! just give us updated processors, memory, and features.

[elcheapodeluxe]

Thank goodness they FINALLY get it! QWERTY is their product differentiator. There are tons of options for buying slabs of glass with no keys, but they own the keyboard market and have done a **** poor job of capitalizing on it. Launching with the Z10 was a huge mistake and the long wait between the 9900 and the Q10 killed them. And now the Q10 - which is their iconic product with keyboard has gone unanswered. Glad to see I can expect a keyboard Renaissance.

Also, I think this thread is such an echo chamber of flat glass love because it was posted in the Z10 forum. Why not put it in a general forum to get a more accurate assessment?

[rotorwrench]

Really? Where are those people? I keep reading posts about qwerty smartphones are what BlackBerry fans want, however the sales of Q10 or Q5 don't show that. If qwerty smartphones was what people want, Android and iPhone phones wouldn't be selling like hot cakes.

The Enterprise market does prefer physical KBs and that is where Chen wants to concentrate. At work we're now switched to BB10 and had our choice of phone with 13 out of 17 preferring the Q10, 2 chose the Z10 and 2 taking the Z30. FWIW several have requested their 9930 back but I'm sure they'll adjust. We're not a big company but I believe those numbers are indicative of most Enterprise preferences. BB physical KB phones have set the standard for productivity and efficiency and that is the bottom line of the bottom line. Almost every vendor and company we deal with has stayed with physical KB BBs and those that have upgraded to BB10 are using Q10s. I think Chen knows Enterprise and he plans to cater to it.

[KemKev]

By the end of 2014 I will be needing a new phone.
By then the z30 is over a year old. Both will be dated. I would expect one touch device a year to remain current.

Apple has been very successful repacking basically the same phone without adding a lot of changes that consumers are clamouring for. Do we consider their offerings "dated"? A monkey in a new suit is still a monkey.

[rotorwrench]

I'll repeat for the last time, and sit back and read what you guys have to say, as I'm interested: keyboards are still not the future. When included in the whole of society, almost nobody is a businessman. You simply cannot sell millions and millions and millions of phones to 45+ businessmen.

Obviously, he is selling a low end touch device next, but one killer Z phone a year is a must. Full stop.

Posted via CB10

LOL "45+ businessmen" ? Blackberry has over 80million subscribers, how many of those do you think are touchscreen phones? Point made.

[rotorwrench]

I agree, but why do most statements coming out of BBRY HQ require translation? They seem to have a real issue with clear, concise communication for some reason.

I see no need for translation. He said what he said but due to preconceived ideas or biases people tend to interpret things differently or read meaning that isn't there : human nature.

[RubberChicken76]

If you read the actual quotes before the press twists them, they are clear. They are making both touch screen and qwerty with an emphasis on qwerty since it's a differentiator.

Posted via CB10

[RubberChicken76]

i feel like the OP reached with this one. Chen has already said that QWERTY devices are the only ones being developed.

No. The Jakarta is touch screen

Posted via CB10

[sentimentGX4]

The Enterprise market does prefer physical KBs and that is where Chen wants to concentrate.

Enterprise does not prefer physical keyboards. If that were case, Blackberry would not be so threatened by BYOD and Crackberry users wouldn't feel so threatened every time a professional is permitted to choose between BB10 and an alternative device (i.e. iPhone).

It feels like we're always flipping around between "Businessmen love Blackberries!" and "Businessmen will choose the iPhone/Android/whatever over Blackberries in a heartbeat!" because some individuals are not willing to admit the reality of the situation.

[GadgetTravel]

I'll repeat for the last time, and sit back and read what you guys have to say, as I'm interested: keyboards are still not the future. When included in the whole of society, almost nobody is a businessman. You simply cannot sell millions and millions and millions of phones to 45+ businessmen.

Obviously, he is selling a low end touch device next, but one killer Z phone a year is a must. Full stop.

Posted via CB10

I agree that QWERTY phones will be a minority overall. However, I would argue that BB owns the QWERTY market. When the company is cutting their size dramatically and trying to focus I think one can make a good case that they should focus where they are strongest. That really is with the QWERTY devices. They have not been able to build a competitive touchscreen device. If they have to give something up to concentrate on their strengths for survival that seems like QWERTY is where they should focus and they should give up touchscreens.

[Jouster]

The Enterprise market does prefer physical KBs......

No it doesn't.

LOL "45+ businessmen" ? Blackberry has over 80million subscribers, how many of those do you think are touchscreen phones?

A minority, since BB10 touchscreen devices have sold so poorly. But that says more about BB's tardiness and poor execution than it does about touchscreens. The millions upon millions of iOS and Android users happily doing business on their various phones tells its own story.

[calyth]

Look at what happens at the last CEO who focused on the full screen slate?
It's folly for a phone manufacturer not to have some kind of slate around. I doubt if John Chen is that foolish.

[BBUK14]

LOL "45+ businessmen" ? Blackberry has over 80million subscribers, how many of those do you think are touchscreen phones? Point made.

Have you made my point or yours? How does zero percent market share look from your perspective? Lol

Posted via CB10

[BBUK14]

In case you were confused, 45+ referred to age...

Posted via CB10

[bbzp]

A winner for some. For most people, the physical keyboard is just a waste of space that could be used to watch a movie.

I agree. I prefer having a larger screen than the Q10 and don't like how much space a physical keyboard takes up.

[DonMarcello]

The interest in the Typo keyboard suggests that there are more people who prefer physical keyboards than was originally thought. I ask myself why so many former BlackBerry users who have migrated to iOS and Android because BB10 doesn't have many of the BBOS features, sing the praises of those OSes even though they don't have the BBOS features either.

[stabstabdie]

Apple has been very successful repacking basically the same phone without adding a lot of changes that consumers are clamouring for. Do we consider their offerings "dated"? A monkey in a new suit is still a monkey.

The 5 is better than the 4.
The 4 better than the 3

I'm not talking about these stupid 's' updates apple does.
I think the jump from 4-5 is worth it, but not from 5 to 5s. C

I just want an all touch blackberry with competitive specs every two years. Especially hd space. I don't like running out due to apps.

[stabstabdie]

LOL "45+ businessmen" ? Blackberry has over 80million subscribers, how many of those do you think are touchscreen phones? Point made.

45+ is their ages. Not the amount of them.

[Nharzhool]

Sigh...I think people are being deliberately stupid/stubborn.

Chen isn't going to walk away from All-Touch devices. He never said he would. Why would he even mention the Jakarta (which has already been confirmed as a 16x9 All-Touch device) if they were no longer making All-Touch?

Anyway, he isn't stupid; them focusing on the QWERTY models doesn't mean at all that they are no longer going to make an All-Touch model. They are just being smart about their business now: they aren't going to make insane amounts and not market them and have a Z10 situation again. They are also not going to claim to be releasing 6 models and then if/when business isn't going well, drop two of them.

Just relax about this all...we will still get a more powerful All-Touch device. It is all written in the code of the OS.

From http://forums.crackberry.com/news-ru...-names-828586/ :

DEVELOPMENT/REFERENCE MODELS
Touch - 5" 1080p OLED
MSM8974 - 1.9-2.26 GHz quad-core Krait 400 - Adreno 330
13MP camera - 802.11ac Wifi - HDMI 1.4
Wifi Direct / Miracast
Sensors: Gyro - Mag - Accel - Alt
HW IDs: 0x9500080a / 0x9d00080a
802.11ac Wifi (BCM4335)

Dev - Euphrates (Tigris variant with different Wifi)


802.11ac Wifi (BCM4339)

Dev - Tigris (prototype, latest revision)

Though, I realise that this is still old tech. Blegh...would be nice if they could actually put new tech in them.

EDIT: Well the 802.11ac Wifi and HDMI 1.4 aren't old tech and...I don't care for the top specs - I just want it to shut the spec-obsessed Android-fanbois up.