[idssteve]

Seems like just a few yrs ago... 2016?... I seem to recall quite a debate around here over abandoning 20+ M of stranded legacy userbase... ?? Lol.

[the_boon]

I suspect how the SE used the 5 chassis the SE2/9 will use the 8 chassis for simplicity

The 8 chassis is basically the 6 chassis from 2014, except with a glass back and slightly relocated camera.

[the_boon]

It's not like there are many left.

And you know this...how?

Unlike some other retailer websites where quantity is accurately kept track of, you can add a million or more KEY2's to your cart, it's still not gonna show a "we don't have this quantity in stock" warning when refreshing the cart.

So there is NO way to know.

People complained about how this hardware wasn't worth $649 at launch, and I can't really say they're wrong (shoulda launched at $569)
so explain how they intend to clear this stock at more than the launch price, a year and a half in?

[Chuck Finley69]

The 8 chassis is basically the 6 chassis from 2014, except with a glass back and slightly relocated camera.

Well then, 6-8 chassis. I believe part of this is clearing out additional unused components not just nostalgia. It also helps third party accessory companies sell unsold accessories too. Apple relies on keeping it's ecosystem happy. It’s similar to recycling if marketed correctly.

[Chuck Finley69]

And you know this...how?

Unlike some other retailer websites where quantity is accurately kept track of, you can add a million or more KEY2's to your cart, it's still not gonna show a "we don't have this quantity in stock" warning when refreshing the cart.

So there is NO way to know.

People complained about how this hardware wasn't worth $649 at launch, and I can't really say they're wrong (shoulda launched at $569)
so explain how they intend to clear this stock at more than the launch price, a year and a half in?

By accepting money from the people that keep paying the price. The same BlackBerry strategy that was used with BBOS and BB10 hardware officially until 2017 and still employed by third party resellers on various sites today.

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

Seems like just a few yrs ago... 2016?... I seem to recall quite a debate around here over abandoning 20+ M of stranded legacy userbase... ?? Lol.

We might have talked about it.... but in the end those folks weren't as stranded as some here want to believe they were.

[conite]

And you know this...how?

TCL knows.

They want nothing other than to clear the remaining inventory. They clearly feel they are able to accomplish that without discounting.

[idssteve]

We might have talked about it.... but in the end those folks weren't as stranded as some here want to believe they were.

haha... is it called "stranded" if by choice? by preference?? Pretty likely those users did find a path to a choice between Apple or Samsung. lol.

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

haha... is it called "stranded" if by choice? by preference?? Pretty likely those users did find a path to a choice between Apple or Samsung. lol.

Natural selection - some adapted, some died off. Those left, are like a small flock of all male dodo birds that snubbed the last female (BBMO) and push her off their island paradise. She was just too plain looking and big, they all wanted something "else".

[the_boon]

TCL knows.

They want nothing other than to clear the remaining inventory. They clearly feel they are able to accomplish that without discounting.

Well then why don't they feel able to accomplish liquidation of a single run of KEY3's ?

Apparently they sunk massive R&D into it already

[conite]

Well then why don't they feel able to accomplish liquidation of a single run of KEY3's ?

Apparently they sunk massive R&D into it already

A "single run" of KEY³ devices still requires them to tool up a manufacturing line and everything else that entails, and compels them to extend out their support infrastructure for another 2 years. They would also need to pay BlackBerry for another 2 years of patches.

It simply doesn't make sense.

[the_boon]

A "single run" of KEY³ devices still requires them to tool up a manufacturing line and everything else that entails, and compels them to extend out their support infrastructure for another 2 years. They would also need to pay BlackBerry for another 2 years of patches.

It simply doesn't make sense.

Well, maybe we can expect a new "Blue Edition" KEY2 and a "Limited Edition White/Gold" LE if they really have THAT many extra parts/phones that they're desperate to liquidate.

[conite]

Well, maybe we can expect a new "Blue Edition" KEY2 and a "Limited Edition White/Gold" LE if they really have THAT many extra parts/phones that they're desperate to liquidate.

I don't believe they do have many left - hence the lack of concern with keeping prices up.

If they were sitting on a landfill of devices, they would be discounting hard.

[Bbnivende]

A "single run" of KEY³ devices still requires them to tool up a manufacturing line and everything else that entails, and compels them to extend out their support infrastructure for another 2 years. They would also need to pay BlackBerry for another 2 years of patches.

It simply doesn't make sense.

It might make sense if TCL would improve their PKB device. Go with TCL brand. Drop BB Android. Pay royalties of $20 a unit to BB. A new contract.

I wonder if BB already booked the revenue from TCL and is reluctant to write off some the potential over statement ( no actual knowledge ).

[conite]

It might make sense if TCL would improve their PKB device. Go with TCL brand. Drop BB Android. Pay royalties of $20 a unit to BB. A new contract.

I wonder if BB already booked the revenue from TCL and is reluctant to write off some the potential over statement ( no actual knowledge ).

It may, and I've been arguing the same thing for a while. I'm just not sure TCL is ready to commit for another 2 years to the whole idea.

[the_boon]

It might make sense if TCL would improve their PKB device. Go with TCL brand. Drop BB Android. Pay royalties of $20 a unit to BB. A new contract.

I wonder if BB already booked the revenue from TCL and is reluctant to write off some the potential over statement ( no actual knowledge ).

We've been screaming out these kind of solutions but all we keep getting is "PKB has 0.00% chances of success"

[idssteve]

Natural selection - some adapted, some died off. Those left, are like a small flock of all male dodo birds that snubbed the last female (BBMO) and push her off their island paradise. She was just too plain looking and big, they all wanted something "else".

yep, "natural selection" was the path BB chose rather than offer a product that those 20M users prefer... crossing a dodo with a pig didn't really turn out so well no matter how many feathers were glued to it? lol.

but, of. course, migration meant loss of bis revenues so... maybe things did turn out as "planned" ??

[joeldf]

We've been screaming out these kind of solutions but all we keep getting is "PKB has 0.00% chances of success"

We can scream all we want, but in the end, it's not up to us, is it.

We can rationalize 'til we're blue in the face, but it all means nothing when the company that can actually do something doesn't do it.

[Tsepz_GP]

Well would you look at that... @the_boon

Bluetooth keyboard case for the Apple iPhone needs a holiday miracle to get funded


https://www.phonearena.com/news/blue...nding_id121073

[conite]

We've been screaming out these kind of solutions but all we keep getting is "PKB has 0.00% chances of success"

The market has done that for you. If any of the big OEMs thought for a moment that they would be able to generate a viable ROI from a keyboard phone, they would have done it long ago.

[bb10adopter111]

I really feel for PKB fans who like Android or iOS. Unfortunately, my problem is even worse. I don't mind a glass slab, but want a completely different level of OS/Task integration for my core work flows.

And NOBODY BUT MICROSOFT has even tried to make an impact on that since 2013. (And we all know how that turned out.)

From the screen of my trusty Z10 using the exceptional BlackBerry VKB.

[Bbnivende]

The market has done that for you. If any of the big OEMs thought for a moment that they would be able to generate a viable ROI from a keyboard phone, they would have done it long ago.

TCL has the ability and the sunk engineering investment to make a profitable Key 3 (opinion) were it not for the branding and OS costs.

I wonder how well the PKB works for the Chinese and Indian markets? The USA market maybe critical but not enough by itself.

[conite]

TCL has the ability and the sunk engineering investment to make a profitable Key 3 (opinion) were it not for the branding and OS costs.

I wonder how well the PKB works for the Chinese and Indian markets? The USA market maybe critical but not enough by itself.

Perhaps they do. But if they don't pick up any kind of dumbed-down licencing agreement in the future, I guess we will know pretty clearly what they think of it.

[Troy Tiscareno]

Well, maybe we can expect a new "Blue Edition" KEY2 and a "Limited Edition White/Gold" LE if they really have THAT many extra parts/phones that they're desperate to liquidate.

They're only selling a couple thousand phones per month per the insider numbers that leaked. That's why there's still any to buy - but that's also why they haven't sold through them after all this time. And that number includes K1s that are still around from 2.5 years ago. These are not phones that are selling in great numbers.

[bh7171]

The market has done that for you. If any of the big OEMs thought for a moment that they would be able to generate a viable ROI from a keyboard phone, they would have done it long ago.

Just need it to be hip again. My daughter wears vans like I wore 30+ years ago and said she wanted some Doc Martens for Christmas. I about fell out of my chair. BTW she is all iPhone as that's about as cool as it gets for an 8th grader for a phone and FaceTime but she does dig my KeyOne, the design and the functionality of the PKB and short cuts. Marketing and how hammered kids are from it at every turn these days matters something fierce as it always has. As I noted originally if a frigg'n flip type device can garner nostalgia and a longing for something "different" then someone should sure as heck be able to nail a Key device.