[cwong15]

What I find most interesting about the next (OS 6.1) generation of new BlackBerries -- such as Dakota/Montana, Monaco/Monzna, Apollo/Sedona -- is that most of them do not seem to be tied to a carrier. Their names imply CDMA/GSM variants, and even lowly T-Mobile is apparently getting a couple of them. RIM's phones have always been limited in the US in some way by carrier exclusives. You could only get the Storm on Verizon, Bold and Torch on AT&T etc. Are we witnessing the beginning of the carrier "walls" coming down? That would bode well for BlackBerry market share.

[MobileMadness002]

What I find most interesting about the next (OS 6.1) generation of new BlackBerries -- such as Dakota/Montana, Monaco/Monzna, Apollo/Sedona -- is that most of them do not seem to be tied to a carrier. Their names imply CDMA/GSM variants, and even lowly T-Mobile is apparently getting a couple of them. RIM's phones have always been limited in the US in some way by carrier exclusives. You could only get the Storm on Verizon, Bold and Torch on AT&T etc. Are we witnessing the beginning of the carrier "walls" coming down? That would bode well for BlackBerry market share.

Carrier walls coming down. I would love for nothing more. I was always advocating cutting the carrier out of the equation. Let all manufactures sell the devices either directly or big box stores. And let the carriers do what they do best, provide cellular service.

[BergerKing]

Actually, I'd love to see the carrier exclusivity end. Why should one have to consider changing carriers just to get a device they'd love to have? Make the market more attractive to accessory-makers. Make devices economically viable. I'd love to see other carriers get the Style, or access to the newer Pearl variant. I know folks that would love a Storm. Increase market availability, stop stifling it, dangit!

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[mark_rivers19]

in as much as i agree with you all on the "anti-consumerism" of this Carrier exlusivity and the NEED to end it, the opposite is true.
Torch 2 will most probably end up with AT&T, considering the partnership of RIM and AT&T on the Torch 1 R&D.
the Storm 3 will most likely stay with Verizon.
and T-mobile will get the last pick of the litter after Sprint.
i wish i am wrong.

[fiddysheqel]

in as much as i agree with you all on the "anti-consumerism" of this Carrier exlusivity and the NEED to end it, the opposite is true.
Torch 2 will most probably end up with AT&T, considering the partnership of RIM and AT&T on the Torch 1 R&D.
the Storm 3 will most likely stay with Verizon.
and T-mobile will get the last pick of the litter after Sprint.
i wish i am wrong.

I would be SHOCKED if that were true.

Regarding the Storm3, there are already reports that RIM may make that phone as common as Bold line and Curve line. Crackberry: "we're really of the mindset RIM's next full touchscreen will be available as are Bolds and Curves." Also, we have some solid rumors stating that Sprint are testing this device, as well as solid rumors T-Mobile have already told some of the inside staff that this phone will be with T-Mobile mid-11. So, no, it would be highly unlikely the Storm3 (or whatever it will be called) will only be on Verizon.

Barring the Torch 2, which seems to be AT&T exclusive, and the Curve Touch, which seems to be a CDMA-only device for now, I do see these Blackberry's coming to all four big carriers.

[sleepngbear]

I think the carriers think that device exclusivity will attract more customers. That may have been the case with AT&T and the iPhone to some extent, but I don't think anybody else can generate quite as much excitement about a product as Apple does. So I tend to think that more often than not, this strategy ends up alienating more customers than it attracts. If there is any benefit at all to exclusivity, it's only to the carriers; but with so many new devices with the similar options, features and specs being introduced so quickly, any benefit is going to evaporate soon. It can't be any kind of an advantage to manufacturers to shut themselves off to such a large percentage of potential customers, and it certainly doesn't help the customers any by limiting their choices.

[qbnkelt]

Yah, I'm still pretty ticked that AT&T did not carry the 9780 because of the 9800...supposedly. I really wanted that phone.
oh well....looking to the Torch 2 now.

[Skeevecr]

Torch 2 will most probably end up with AT&T, considering the partnership of RIM and AT&T on the Torch 1 R&D.
the Storm 3 will most likely stay with Verizon.

You are probably right about Torch 2, at&t have featured the first one in so many adverts that they would be stupid not to lock up the sequel too, but as far as the storm, I'd bet that all the carriers will get a version of that phone because verizon are too entrenched in the droid rebranding of android to want or expect the storm 3 was an exclusive to them.

[big_time2]

I really hope this is true. I wanted to get the original Bold so bad but didn't want to switch to ATT. I also wanted to get Strom (1 and 2) but that involved switching to Verizon.

If these new phones are all carrier exclusive I will be pissed because T-Mobile will probably just get the Curve, probably not even the Touch Curve, just the regular Curve.

[Phil DeLong]

Closer to release, they'll get branded for exclusivity. Mark my words. I mean lets be real, the prototypes we've seen don't even have their official names branded on them yet. It's coming, along with exclusivity.

[JRSCCivic98]

Could also mean that RIM just wants to secure more people via more carriers. No one is coming to Verizon for a Storm like they did when the first one came out because we all know how that went. So, since that pull isn't strong enough, they're just making as many handset variants as possible to have enough crack for everyone.

[big_time2]

Could also mean that RIM just wants to secure more people via more carriers. No one is coming to Verizon for a Storm like they did when the first one came out because we all know how that went. So, since that pull isn't strong enough, they're just making as many handset variants as possible to have enough crack for everyone.

That would make sense. I think it would be better to make seven different Storms (or curves, or bolds, etc.) and each with something different and have them on all carriers, than to have one Storm and just have it on one carrier.

[BergerKing]

Yeah, the single carrier crap is hurting them, spread the love, choices make for better sales. Bring on the phones!

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[_StephenBB81]

Could also mean that RIM just wants to secure more people via more carriers. No one is coming to Verizon for a Storm like they did when the first one came out because we all know how that went. So, since that pull isn't strong enough, they're just making as many handset variants as possible to have enough crack for everyone.

I very much agree with this.

The Blackberry doesn't have the pull to make the majority switch carriers just for a device, and with the iPhone on the the Primary Carriers in the USA, UK, Canada, Research in Motion needs to battle on the intracarrier front and push to be in every carrier location, and maximize their advertising potential.

And in the grandscheme of things, the carriers are not going to pay for exclusivity for a RIM product so if Any carrier wants the product RIM Will sell it to them.

[FigureThisOut]

Could also mean that RIM just wants to secure more people via more carriers. No one is coming to Verizon for a Storm like they did when the first one came out because we all know how that went. So, since that pull isn't strong enough, they're just making as many handset variants as possible to have enough crack for everyone.

Read my mind.

RIM could come up with an absolute insane device and I still don't think it would
warrant anyone to switch their carrier just for that device.

[Xopher]

I wonder if Verizon turning down the Storm 2.5/9570 was enough to break exclusivity for the Storm 3....

[lnichols]

How many more Torches would RIM have sold in the US if they had been on the other three carriers? How many more Storm 2's would they have sold? Hopefully RIM has figured this out and based on the leaks we're getting on the upcoming devices it looks like most new devices may be coming out to everyone. Torch 2 may stay AT&T, but I think that the Bold Touch, Monaco/Monza, Apollo/Sedona, and Curve Touch will be available to any carrier that wants them.

[big_time2]

Read my mind.

RIM could come up with an absolute insane device and I still don't think it would
warrant anyone to switch their carrier just for that device.

I agree. It would have to be a killer phone for me to switch from Tmobile to any other carrier.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[JRSCCivic98]

Read my mind.

RIM could come up with an absolute insane device and I still don't think it would
warrant anyone to switch their carrier just for that device.

Ya, even if they did, it would take them a while and an extreme word-of-mouth polularity review and tons of people carrying the device for that sort of mass shift to happen back in their favor. Unfortunately for them, they've lost the "exclusivity" aspect of the handset market. Blackberry is the new Toyota/Honda of the mobile world... everyone has one and the models range from low to high. Nothing special, just gets the job done cheaply.

I wonder if Verizon turning down the Storm 2.5/9570 was enough to break exclusivity for the Storm 3....

It's very possible the 9570 got cancled by RIM because of all the bad initial reviews from the community. Pretty much everyone (fanboys included) turned their noses up at that device.

[Plazmic Flame]

I would hope that carrier exclusives would end in 2011 for RIM. I've been saying this for years, it's only hurting RIM in the end.

Tons of people on VZ would want a Torch.
Tons of people on AT&T wanted a Storm (regards of how bad the device was)

Limiting people to choose a carrier for a device they want is a bad move IMO. Make the devices available on all carriers and you can only expand your numbers, which isn't a bad thing last time I checked.

[Daniel Ratcliffe]

Unfortunately, they could release a device tomorrow for $300 that had a 5.8 THz 128-core processor, 500TB flash memory, QNX OS, 23MPixel camera with a Carl Zeiss lens, flash, auto-focus, GPS, barometer, magnetometer, FFC (15MPixel with a Carl Zeiss lens) have it come with access to an App World of 8.7 trillion apps, be built as rock solid as anything, and every other bonus in the world that the iPhone and Android devices have, and people would STILL say it's crap as anything, just because it has the RIM branding. I know someone here with the name beginning T (has a number before it) who would do just that. And the Apple fanboys would say that Apple did it first when the iPhone came out with those specs, even if it wasn't until 20 years later...

[cwong15]

Something to keep in mind is that carrier exclusives are generally not what RIM wants. They never benefit RIM, only the carriers. RIM only provides carrier exclusives under pressure from carriers. So lectures to RIM that they should try to avoid exclusives aren't going to the right people. Of course they want their phones to go to everyone. If carrier walls are coming down, it is either because RIM managed to negotiate better, or because they are finally unshackled from the exclusivity period, or because the carriers aren't pushing that hard now for exclusivity.

[bullshark]

Carrier walls coming down. I would love for nothing more. I was always advocating cutting the carrier out of the equation. Let all manufactures sell the devices either directly or big box stores. And let the carriers do what they do best, provide cellular service.

Agree entirely, in fact, I don't even understand how current market restriction are even legal, and they certainly are immoral. It'd be like buying a car and be artificially restricted to, say, Esso or Shell to fuel it up.

[JRSCCivic98]

Unfortunately, they could release a device tomorrow for $300 that had a 5.8 THz 128-core processor, 500TB flash memory, QNX OS, 23MPixel camera with a Carl Zeiss lens, flash, auto-focus, GPS, barometer, magnetometer, FFC (15MPixel with a Carl Zeiss lens) have it come with access to an App World of 8.7 trillion apps, be built as rock solid as anything, and every other bonus in the world that the iPhone and Android devices have, and people would STILL say it's crap as anything, just because it has the RIM branding. I know someone here with the name beginning T (has a number before it) who would do just that. And the Apple fanboys would say that Apple did it first when the iPhone came out with those specs, even if it wasn't until 20 years later...

WTF?! No NFC support?! Another failure.

[buwee]

Unfortunately, they could release a device tomorrow for $300 that had a 5.8 THz 128-core processor, 500TB flash memory, QNX OS, 23MPixel camera with a Carl Zeiss lens, flash, auto-focus, GPS, barometer, magnetometer, FFC (15MPixel with a Carl Zeiss lens) have it come with access to an App World of 8.7 trillion apps, be built as rock solid as anything, and every other bonus in the world that the iPhone and Android devices have, and people would STILL say it's crap as anything, just because it has the RIM branding. I know someone here with the name beginning T (has a number before it) who would do just that. And the Apple fanboys would say that Apple did it first when the iPhone came out with those specs, even if it wasn't until 20 years later...

Geez, I sure wouldn't mind having a phone with these specs