RIM's release strategy, and a RANT
So AT&T is the... network, but it seems like they get first treats on a lot of RIM gear, with the exception of the Storm which is only on Verizon. Now I know that GSM is used more outside the US with the exception of Asia (but not by much if you look at the CDMA worldwide subscriber base compared to GSM/UMTS), but I just don't get the plan as it appears to be working currently. They should have a kick *** Blackberry with OS 6 ready to drop after the iPhone on everyone but AT&T (everyone knows the iPhones come out around this time every year), but yet we have nothing and the only possible cool new Blackberry, the slider (which I'm not even sure is cool or even worth a look at), may be releasing on AT&T soon?!?! If they had a cool CDMA phone and TMobile 3G freq'd phone right now ready to release as the iPhone noise dies down, they could pounce on these iPhone reception issues and come out with a new phone and market it as not having to hold it a certain way or put a phone ... on it to make calls. Instead all we have is a vaporware promo video of OS6 from a month ago, not a single phone running it, and the first phone running it probably coming to AT&T.
Hey RIM Verizon is #1, AT&T is #2, Sprint #3, and TMobile is #4. If you make a phone for #1, it will work with #2. If you make a phone with all the freq's like a tour radio and just add in support for TMobile 3G freq's (UMTS Band IV) then you have well over twice what AT&T has for customers that could be used anywhere in the world, and sold to any provider in the world. When the iPhone hype dies you can let AT&T in on the action, because if you release something cool on every network but AT&T, then the AT&T blackberry users will be... about where's the love for them. But no, you have a slider for the iWhore network in the near future, maybe a Storm3 at some point down the road, the super-d-duper Tour 1.1 (aka 9650), and the Bold for T-Mobile. Meanwhile Android manufacturers are flooding all carriers with phones left and right.
RIM, if you don't have your heart in the phone business anymore and just don't want to even try to compete with Apple and Google on the device and OS front, then just release a Blackberry App for iPhone and Android that gives those platforms the e-mail, BBM functionallity via software. You'll still make some money on the BIS and BES front and won't have your dwindling user base disappointed every time other phone's come out from other manufacturers and wow people. Right now BBM is the absolute only thing keeping me with you right now because it is critical for communications at my job. I love the service provided by your BIS, but the hardware and software you are providing to access these services is getting very long in the tooth. Apple is probably about 1 or 2 releases away from having legitimate blackberry like service via MobileMe and OS X Server, not sure about Android, but I'm sure that the Google monolith is working on something too.
Make me, and all the others like me be excited again about a Blackberry. Earn the right to keep the business we give you now, not just sit back and expect it will always be there, because if some other company gets an e-mail and BBM-like solution working like yours, and as reliable as yours, you are cooked.
RANT OVER!
P.S. If you are a died in the wool Blackberry Fan Boy who thinks that RIM can do no wrong and all the current offerings are the greatest thing since sliced thread, then this thread is not for you and does not reflect your opinion. You know that you will be provided with a qwerty brick phone by RIM till they go out of business so enjoy your bliss and not bash those of us who would like to see more effort by RIM to compete with some of the fantastic hardware and software offerings available out there. We still like or need something that RIM has to offer or we wouldn't be wanting them to improve upon it.