[SK122387]

Sean, young man, we are talking BlackBerry here . Never underestimate the insanity of their pricing but I am hoping you are right. $699 full retail seems about right.

Oh my God, you're right. We're talking about the company that currently lists 2011's 9900 at $399 on their website.

Silly me!

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[gokulesh]

I am hoping Mr Chen and the marketing folks are smart enough to price the device so it will sell. I feel 499.00 US is the magic number for me.


Sent from my lovely z30 on T Mobile USA

While I don't think it will be 999. I also don't think it will be 499.

I doubt it goes for less than 699 at launch.

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[tvst28]

Speaking from Canada here, virtually every flagship from any company launches at exactly $699. I'd expect the Passport to be the exact same.

The flagships are at $650 without contracts here in the US, so it's not that far off. But if BB is serious about getting broader appeal here, they will have to shoot for ideally $600. $650 is definitely the upper end because we have to remember that they're already down one carrier (T-Mobile), so any T-Mo subscribers wanting it will have to shell out the whole amount upfront. At that point, that $50-100 makes a world of difference.

[greenberry666]

I thought they made it clear that these things are for "prosumers". The price will be through the roof.

The Z3 is their cheap, consumer BB10 device.

[Khaled Aznawi]

Is there a button I can press to make it be september?

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[Khaled Aznawi]

I had a dream last nite, abt passport. Really, no joke. But I am sad it will priced at $900! Hope its not true

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[MarsupilamiX]

I doubt it'll be $600. This is high end so will likely be $999.

Posted via CB10

999$ would just be ridiculous.
The Nexus basically has the same specs for 350$?

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[MarsupilamiX]

People have to remember that BlackBerry is going after corporations so higher price would not be out of the question for what is supposed to be a business phone.

Posted via CB10

Huh?
Are you under the impression that businesses have money to burn, because they want to support BlackBerry so much?

BlackBerry was extremely successful with their cheap Curves in the enterprise sector. There's a reason for that.
Ever inspected the PCs/Notebooks a little bit closer, that usually get mass deployed in enterprises?
They are as cheap as possible while being as expensive as necessary.
At 999$, the Passport is exactly one thing. DOA.

As an enterprise customer, 999$ would buy me a "normal" phone and a tablet. Or a low-end notebook and a phone.
Or an iPhone and an iPad Mini.
Or....
It's not like the Passport is the most important and hottest thing to get.
It's not like it's better than a Tablet/Notebook or could substitute one of them.

Everything that exceeds 600 Euro or 700$, massively, is pretty much guaranteed to fail.

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[ljfong]

Huh?
Are you under the impression that businesses have money to burn, because they want to support BlackBerry so much?

BlackBerry was extremely successful with their cheap Curves in the enterprise sector. There's a reason for that.
Ever inspected the PCs/Notebooks a little bit closer, that usually get mass deployed in enterprises?
They are as cheap as possible while being as expensive as necessary.
At 999$, the Passport is exactly one thing. DOA.

As an enterprise customer, 999$ would buy me a "normal" phone and a tablet. Or a low-end notebook and a phone.
Or an iPhone and an iPad Mini.
Or....
It's not like the Passport is the most important and hottest thing to get.
It's not like it's better than a Tablet/Notebook or could substitute one of them.

Everything that exceeds 600 Euro or 700$, massively, is pretty much guaranteed to fail.

Posted via CB10

$999 would be fan-based pricing. If BlackBerry really really want to win and make waves, they would sell at $299 as debut price, granted they would probably sell at significant loss or at best break even, but it would make waves and get BlackBerry 10 into people's hands and hopefully shore up the native app ecosystem from its walking dead status. It is just a wishful thinking I suppose.

[Atmarix]

$999 would be fan-based pricing. If BlackBerry really really want to win and make waves, they would sell at $299 as debut price, granted they would probably sell at significant loss or at best break even, but it would make waves and get BlackBerry 10 into people's hands and hopefully shore up the native app ecosystem from its walking dead status. It is just a wishful thinking I suppose.

That would also give you the impression that you're buying something cheap. I don't mean $$ cheap, I mean cheap quality-wise
If the passport came out with a 300 price tag I would feel uncomfortable buying it, because it doesn't make sense!. $600 is the right price, $700 premium price (because is premium) and more than $700 wouldn't make much sense, but I would still buy it.
Now if someone is selling you an brand new iPhone 6 for $300, what would be your first thought? Wtf is the catch?!
Plus BlackBerry is in desperate need of money, not in desperate need of giving away devices (selling devices for no profit)

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[Adif_70]

Wow. Final something that makes sense.

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[Mr. Marco]

I think the Passport might sell, but to the Blackberry faithful. In order to bring back a general consumer base I think that task falls on the shoulders of the Classic.

[MarsupilamiX]

I think the Passport might sell, but to the Blackberry faithful. In order to bring back a general consumer base I think that task falls on the shoulders of the Classic.

Disagreed.
I think that the Classic form-factor is pretty much dead.
The pent-up demand for a small screened device with a square screen ratio and an inexistant app store, is probably inexistant.

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[MarsupilamiX]

That would also give you the impression that you're buying something cheap. I don't mean $$ cheap, I mean cheap quality-wise
If the passport came out with a 300 price tag I would feel uncomfortable buying it, because it doesn't make sense!. $600 is the right price, $700 premium price (because is premium) and more than $700 wouldn't make much sense, but I would still buy it.
Now if someone is selling you an brand new iPhone 6 for $300, what would be your first thought? Wtf is the catch?!
Plus BlackBerry is in desperate need of money, not in desperate need of giving away devices (selling devices for no profit)

Posted via CB10

299 might be low, agreed
But 700$ is a price the the Passport very probably won't deserve, even though the keyboard users might pay it.
550$ is much more in line for those specs+the BlackBerry premium.
But we'll probably pay the BlackBerry+keyboard premium, which makes something like 700 rather forseeable.

Also, what you just described, is one of the biggest logical fallacies consumers can face nowadays:
Cheap=/=bad quality.

There is a very famous study about wine, its price and its taste.
Spoiler: when people know that they drink a more expensive wine, they give it better grades.
When they drink the same wine as before, but you tell them that it's a cheap wine, it'll get worse grades.
The placebo effect, is stronger than one might think.

So let's say it like this...
In the beginning, consumers bought the iPhone because of its price (status symbol).
Nowadays, despite of its price.
A big price deflation should have happened for quite some time already, tbh.
We are MASSIVELY overpaying for flagships currently.

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[SenorPistachio]

450/550 with a 50 dollar/ euro cashback would be a reasonable price for a flagship device, considering the use of a processor that's almost 2 years old.

If they're stupid, they will be putting the price up there with the upcoming Note 4 / iPhone 6.

But i'm fairly certain JC won't be doing something like that. Hoping a 4-500 price. Expecting 550/600

[bambinoitaliano]

People have to remember that BlackBerry is going after corporations so higher price would not be out of the question for what is supposed to be a business phone.

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Corporations are not as callous as you expect them to be. If they sign on the BES, they could get a major discount for the phones. Which depending on the terms of services. In the end is subsidize by the subscription of the BES.

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[gokulesh]

$999 would be fan-based pricing. If BlackBerry really really want to win and make waves, they would sell at $299 as debut price, granted they would probably sell at significant loss or at best break even, but it would make waves and get BlackBerry 10 into people's hands and hopefully shore up the native app ecosystem from its walking dead status. It is just a wishful thinking I suppose.

How many businesses have you run? Not being mean or anything honestly asking.

The stock price would actually drop and significantly if shareholders thought BlackBerry was playing market share game. They could if they had apple or Google like cash in their bank which they do not. They are not. JC has outlined what they need, 10 million phone sales.

Heck Google for all it s vaunted strength couldn't make Motorola a go and ended up selling it.

BlackBerry fans need to stop dreaming of market share.

In my opinion true fans would want the company to be financially healthy and survive so we can keep buying the phones we enjoy. And not go after financially ruinous market share game.


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[boeingrules]

Speaking from Canada here, virtually every flagship from any company launches at exactly $699. I'd expect the Passport to be the exact same.

That's still too high. A BlackBerry flagship shouldn't be the same as an Apple or Samsung flagship.

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[ljfong]

How many businesses have you run? Not being mean or anything honestly asking.

The stock price would actually drop and significantly if shareholders thought BlackBerry was playing market share game. They could if they had apple or Google like cash in their bank which they do not. They are not. JC has outlined what they need, 10 million phone sales.

Heck Google for all it s vaunted strength couldn't make Motorola a go and ended up selling it.

BlackBerry fans need to stop dreaming of market share.

In my opinion true fans would want the company to be financially healthy and survive so we can keep buying the phones we enjoy. And not go after financially ruinous market share game.


Posted via CB10

I am running..ummm...20, 50, 100 businesses for all you care? Whatever my friend, it is irrelevant.

Market share is important whether one likes to admit it or not. Maybe $299 is really pushing it, but they absolutely cannot sell for $999 if they want any hope of increasing market share of BlackBerry 10. BlackBerry 10 maybe technically a good product with intuitive UI and all that, but you have to factor into the account that BlackBerry brand is to tainted right now for being thought to be expensive and a failure on many front. The Z3 pricing is a nice start so they really should build on that.

[THBW]

Yes, aggressive pricing is important but not to cheap. The sweet spot is 500 dollars. BlackBerry can make a bit of cash and it will be 200 dollars less the crappy low end iPhone. People will give it a try at that price.

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[MarsupilamiX]

Yes, aggressive pricing is important but not to cheap. The sweet spot is 500 dollars. BlackBerry can make a bit of cash and it will be 200 dollars less the crappy low end iPhone. People will give it a try at that price.

Posted via CB10

Agreed.
Minus the bashing.

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[propeller10]

What was the point of including that screen shot? To show you have a girl in your bbm contacts?

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[Mr.Willie]

$499 is a good price for the Passport and Classic. Hell, even have a $50 or so coupon code.

Specs ? It could have certain specs that won't be seen on other phones for ten years, but if it doesn't really use it, who cares other than spec whores. It's like driving a Lambo in Manhatten.

I picked up a Q10 for $299. ($100 off coupon code). It's rock solid. I like it. I would really like to check out the Classic and Passport, but it needs to be priced appropriately. Especially since BB doesn't have the infrastuctructure that others have.

Any all touch device going forward needs at least a 1080 screen with an appropriate GPU to drive it.

[MarsupilamiX]

Any all touch device going forward needs at least a 1080 screen with an appropriate GPU to drive it.

Honestly?
That's the case since early 2013 already.

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[Icarus3000]

I personally don't have high hopes for the passport, but would be very happy to be proven wrong. However, if they price it at $999 I'd bet just about anything it will be an absolute flop.

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