BlackBerry Mobile (TCL) Ambiguous Strategy
I started this thread to open a discussion for some findings that I couldn't interpret myself, and I hope the experts in Crackberry could explain the situation here.
Along the last few weeks, I started not to understand the future of BlackBerry Mobile and its marketing strategy. These are my findings:
1- The USA is the most important market for BlackBerry devices for 20 years, and I doubt this has changed after I couldn't find sales numbers data that were used to be published by BlackBerry Limited financial sheet every fiscal quarter. During 2017 Q3, USA formed 60% of BlackBerry handhelds sold worldwide. However, the availability of BB phones in this region is getting ridiculous.
2- Key2 Red Edition has discontinued from BestBuy and Amazon after only two weeks of its release.
3- Key2 (all colors) has discontinued from BestBuy and only the Black version is still available at Amazon.
3- The newest model, Key2 LE is no longer available in Amazon channel and only available via third parties with crazy prices (over $800)
4- Even the international version of key2 is getting very expensive day after day, and this only indicates a very limited available inventory.
5- TCL just now remembered to release the Key2 in Philippines, Australia, Czech Republic, and Slovakia after a year of phone lunch. Why?
6- Those regions got the entire colors collection, which is missing here in the USA. (I still don't believe they got tons of units and think only a few hundred, but still a vague point).
7- TCL Chief Marketing Officer confirmed to one of Philippines media channels that they are developing a new BlackBerry device with a magical keyboard and probably another touch screen phone. Is this just a marketing trick or something is really coming?
8- If they are running out of stock of Key2, does that mean the release of Key3 is imminent?
9- If not, how could that BlackBerry Mobile department survive for another year and they are almost running out of devices stock? So, no enough revenue to keep the business alive!
Thank you...