[wincyUt]

According to Terry Pender of The Record.com "Next week, Chen flies to Indonesia for the official launch of the Jakarta Z3 — the new large touch-screen smartphone BlackBerry produced in partnership with Taiwan-based Foxconn for the Indonesian market."

So my hunch is that Z3 will be the turnaround device for BlackBerry. Although this low end phone will face serious competition, I am willing to hedge that because it will be priced under $200 and is bsically same phone as the Z30 (save for, the pixel density), plus it will have OS 10.2.1.29XX and latest BBM with stickers, BlackBerry can't go wrong in this emerging market.
BlackBerry's turnaround icing on the cake will come later in the year when the Classic Q20 is launched.

Which is the device that you think will turnaround the dismal market share for BlackBerry? Or do think it is a lost cause?

[Jerale]

Q20 hands down. People still miss the trackpad.

Powered by my BlackBerry (Z10). Join my #BBM Channels C001227CF, C00476C37, C003829C9, C002454C9,C002190AC, C00120CE3

[cgk]

I go for lost cause and noting to do with the device - they just ain't got the cash to compete - even Apple are worried about the 'obscene' amounts of money that android OEMs are collectively throwing at Marketing and channel incentives.

[eldricho]

Me thinks that both will try to be the turn around device
With the Z3, we will see if it really was the pricing and hardware that kept users from jumping onto BlackBerry 10, or that there are more factors that are bound to that and should just grab more people onto the BB10 wagon and attract more developers. It practically will tell us whether BlackBerry should even try to stay into the hardware and OS business or just drop it
Q20 should cater to existing BlackBerry (business) customers to keep them from jumping to another platform, but still having them come to the one that will be the future

Posted via CB10

[Dave Bourque]

I go for lost cause and noting to do with the device - they just ain't got the cash to compete - even Apple are worried about the 'obscene' amounts of money that android OEMs are collectively throwing at Marketing and channel incentives.

If you were BlackBerry CEO BlackBerry would of closed their doors and lost all enterprise customers, governments would be in deep ****

Z10STL100-3/10.2.1.2141

[BB10user07]

Both Z3 and Q20...it has to be...they cannot afford to go wrong now.

Posted via CB10

[anon(3896606)]

We all know his target audience is the enterprise, so it would make sense that the Q20 would be his turnaround device.
The Z3, however, if priced correctly, has great potential.

[cgk]

If you were BlackBerry CEO BlackBerry would of closed their doors and lost all enterprise governments would be in deep ****

Z10STL100-3/10.2.1.2141

No I'd what's he is actually doing - try and grow services and software as quickly as possible when trying to hold mobile as a declining revenue stream for the near future and offloading risk to partners like foxconn - I think the foxconn deal is a try before you buy deal*.


* Although one that now is likely making less sense to Foxconn now that WP is license free.

[wincyUt]

If you were BlackBerry CEO BlackBerry would of closed their doors and lost all enterprise customers, governments would be in deep ****

Z10STL100-3/10.2.1.2141

In all fairness, he responded appropriately to my question IMO. However I may not agree with him for totally different reason.

[TgeekB]

If you were BlackBerry CEO BlackBerry would of closed their doors and lost all enterprise customers, governments would be in deep ****

Z10STL100-3/10.2.1.2141

Can't anyone have a different opinion than you?

Posted via my Nexus 10.

[kbz1960]

The Z3 for emerging markets and the Q20 for kb fans. Hopefully one or both gets phones moving.

[wincyUt]

Can't anyone have a different opinion than you?

Posted via my Nexus 10.

I don't think he has ever said so. I guess he just argues his points more passionately. It's an open forum and everyone is free to argue their points (politely or civilly) until they are exhausted.

[JeepBB]

<snip>
BlackBerry can't go wrong in this emerging market.

Plenty can go wrong. The Z3 looks to be a nice phone. However, if it's priced too high it'll fail badly.

Indonesians can already buy "real" Android handsets for much less than $200 in a market that is cut-throat and crowded. I'm unconvinced that enough people are willing to pay a premium price for a BB10 handset that can run some Android Apps.

So, lost cause is my vote. Though it's nice to see Chen taking an interest in the Z3 launch. The Z30 launch was notable that nobody from BB HQ could be bothered to attend.

I'm sure that I'll see regular reports of faux sell-outs and stories that make mention of the Z3 selling like hot-cakes here on CB though. Just me, or is that sold-out ploy getting a little old and tired now?

I guess we'll see the truth of Z3's success or otherwise emerge in next quarter's ER.

[TgeekB]

I don't think he has ever said so. I guess he just argues his points more passionately.

But look at the response. Its not an argument, its just saying anyone who thinks different is wrong. I would applause an actual pointed argument.

"BB10 is better" is not an argument.

Posted via my Nexus 10.

[sixpacker]

I go for lost cause and noting to do with the device - they just ain't got the cash to compete - even Apple are worried about the 'obscene' amounts of money that android OEMs are collectively throwing at Marketing and channel incentives.

I too go for lost cause. Pretty sure the q20 will be a dud, who the hell wants a high tech device called the classic that attempts to roll back history to 2003?
The z3 is tougher as I don't know the Asian market, all we know is competition is stiff and margins are very small.
Why Chen just quit on established markets that took years to build up we'll never know.

[nabil114]

What is your sales target?

[JeepBB]

If you were BlackBerry CEO BlackBerry would of closed their doors and lost all enterprise customers, governments would be in deep ****

CGK is capable of answering for himself, but if I were BB CEO, I'd have closed the doors on the on-going train-wreck that is BB10 long ago!

I'd continue to sell the legacy BBOS handsets for as long as people wanted to buy them, and I'd even restart production lines if we didn't have enough handsets to cover sales. I'd use the revenue from those sales to further invest in enterprise services & software and reshape the company away from hardware.

Oh wait, that seems to be Chen's plan too...

[sixpacker]

If you were BlackBerry CEO BlackBerry would of closed their doors and lost all enterprise customers, governments would be in deep ****

Z10STL100-3/10.2.1.2141

Do you recall the ceo spent most of last year desperately trying to sell the company? If there was anyone remotely interested the doors may well have closed by now...

[wincyUt]

Plenty can go wrong. The Z3 looks to be a nice phone. However, if it's priced too high it'll fail badly.

Indonesians can already buy "real" Android handsets for much less than $200 in a market that is cut-throat and crowded. I'm unconvinced that enough people are willing to pay a premium price for a BB10 handset that can run some Android Apps.

So, lost cause is my vote. Though it's nice to see Chen taking an interest in the Z3 launch. The Z30 launch was notable that nobody from BB HQ could be bothered to attend.

I'm sure that I'll see regular reports of faux sell-outs and stories that make mention of the Z3 selling like hot-cakes here on CB though. Just me, or is that sold-out ploy getting a little old and tired now?

I guess we'll see the truth of Z3's success or otherwise emerge in next quarter's ER.

Yep, one thing for sure is that by May 2015 we will all know how BlackBerry's dust is settling down.

[wincyUt]

I too go for lost cause. Pretty sure the q20 will be a dud, who the hell wants a high tech device called the classic that attempts to roll back history to 2003?
The z3 is tougher as I don't know the Asian market, all we know is competition is stiff and margins are very small.
Why Chen just quit on established markets that took years to build up we'll never know.

Maybe history will repeat itself like it did for COKE.

[cgk]

Looks like Chen feels the same:

Chen made it clear that the production run for the Bold and introduction of the Classic should not be interpreted as a wholesale return to the smartphone business. Hardware and handsets will be part of the equation for at least two years, but after that it is anyone's guess.

"I hope it's not confusing to others that all of a sudden, 90 days later, I shift gears," Chen said. "It is nothing to do with that. I mean software and services going forward are still going to be where the growth engine is going to come from, and messaging."

Chen travelling the world to promote BlackBerry

Why Chen just quit on established markets that took years to build up we'll never know.

That is easy to under - BBRY doesn't exist in (most of) those markets any-more in any meaningful market share sense - that battle was fought and lost to iOS, Android and to their own real competition - the other also-ran WP.

[wincyUt]

Looks like Chen feels the same:



Chen travelling the world to promote BlackBerry



That is easy to under - BBRY doesn't exist in (most of) those markets any-more in any meaningful market share sense - that battle was fought and lost to iOS, Android and to their own real competition - the other also-ran WP.

I really beg to differ with you. John chen is in no way saying or inferring same thing as you saying "it is a lost cause". He is simply covering his bets.

[Troy Tiscareno]

Maybe history will repeat itself like it did for COKE.

When was Coke posting huge losses quarter after quarter and trying to sell itself?

[Dave Bourque]

I really beg to differ with you. John chen is in no way saying or inferring same thing as you saying "it is a lost cause". He is simply covering his bets.

I'm done arguing with these people.

Z10STL100-3/10.2.1.2141

[The Big Picture]

Both for sure. The Z3 to expand the low end user base, and the Q20 to convert BBOS to BB10.

Its a very clever strategy. No one can blame john chen for not trying or not using his head.

And then the octo core BlackBerry and I quote the man himself "to gain new customers" will sweep in and make blackberry a strong prosumer/enterprise niche in the market. Thats all they need.



Q10SQN100-3/10.2.1.2228, Z30, Z10, iP5, SGS3