[the_boon]

You forgot Alcatel.

Doesn’t that name sound “extremely low end” to peoples’ ears?

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

The only way for them to use Palm without eating away at the BBMobile brand would be to stick to low end budget, sub 250$. A price point that stays clear of the 450$-600$ BB phones.

Anyone agree?

At least since they own palm there would be no hefty BB tax.

I agree that is what might be good for BBMo.

But how many PKB lovers that might have reached beyond their budget for a BBMo device, would now be happy buy a Palm?

What if the $250 Palm was close to the same specs as that $500 BlackBerry?

[ToniCipriani]

What if the $250 Palm was close to the same specs as that $500 BlackBerry?

Which is why the Palm should not have the same candybar form factor as the KEYone, and should run Android One.

I can do away with the keyboard swiping and scrolling. Keyboard Shortcuts there's an app now, I just need a wave launcher.

Even better... unlock the bootloader, and work with LuneOS to provide webOS images. Caters a different market.

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

Doesn’t that name sound “extremely low end” to peoples’ ears?

Alcatel.... not sure if they have anyone in NA offering their "newest" phones. Cricket Wireless is one of the few carriers (prepaid) that offers their older phones (some really old). Bottom of the barrel is what Alcatel is... phone with the most review, Idol 4 was rated at 2.4 stars by customers.

[ToniCipriani]

Alcatel.... not sure if they have anyone in NA offering their "newest" phones. Cricket Wireless is one of the few carriers (prepaid) that offers their older phones (some really old). Bottom of the barrel is what Alcatel is... phone with the most review, Idol 4 was rated at 2.4 stars by customers.

Bell and Telus carries Alcatel here.

https://www.bell.ca/Mobility/Products/Alcatel-U50
https://www.koodomobile.com/phones/alcatel-a50

[anon(10268214)]

LOL .. fine.... it’s a Palm branded slider.....instead of Porsche version, there’s a Cipriani version..... or Pontiac... your choice

Obviously TCL is already taking Cipriani's lead. Hence the 625 in a new phone in (late) 2018.

[the_boon]

I agree that is what might be good for BBMo.

But how many PKB lovers that might have reached beyond their budget for a BBMo device, would now be happy buy a Palm?

What if the $250 Palm was close to the same specs as that $500 BlackBerry?

The goal could be to reach out to people who are not PKB lovers by default but should they see a nice looking device at an attractive price tag while strolling along a store, they might end up forking the $200 because they don't feel the need to pay more than double for the BB name and security.

[nevilleadaniels]

These would appear to be various variants of the British zone KeyOne under Test on Oreo.
The specs are identical.
G stands for Ghosting. A standard engineering euphemism for testing particularly final stage testing or pre release testing.

Sent from my BBB100-2 using Tapatalk

[ToniCipriani]

These would appear to be various variants of the British zone KeyOne under Test on Oreo.
The specs are identical.
G stands for Ghosting. A standard engineering euphemism for testing particularly final stage testing or pre release testing.

Sent from my BBB100-2 using Tapatalk

I'm pretty sure this case it's just sequential.

BBA = DTEK60
BBB = KEYone
BBC = Aurora
BBD = Motion
BBE = ?? Optiemus Ghost???
BBF = KEY2
BBG = KEY2 Lite / QWERTY Device

Regional variants are denoted by the number at the end, e.g. for KEYone 1 is US/APAC, 2 is EMEA, 3 is US CDMA, 4 is China CDMA, 5 is Global dual SIM, 6 is Japan, 7 is India Dual SIM.

And they don't do spec variants, just radio and chassis. Silver and Black KEYones whether 32 or 64 are the same model code if the radio is the same.

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

I'm pretty sure this case it's just sequential.

BBA = DTEK60
BBB = KEYone
BBC = Aurora
BBD = Motion
BBE = ?? Optiemus Ghost???
BBF = KEY2
BBG = KEY2 Lite / QWERTY Device

Regional variants are denoted by the number at the end, e.g. for KEYone 1 is US/APAC, 2 is EMEA, 3 is US CDMA, 4 is China CDMA, 5 is Global dual SIM, 6 is Japan, 7 is India Dual SIM.

And they don't do spec variants, just radio and chassis. Silver and Black KEYones whether 32 or 64 are the same model code if the radio is the same.

Strange the Ghost Pro isn't there... either the PRO is being launched much later and the KEY2 Lite is being launched much sooner.... or the the devices are close enough to use the same # - same processor and radio, just different size screen and upgraded storage and memory?

[conite]

I'm pretty sure this case it's just sequential.

BBA = DTEK60
BBB = KEYone
BBC = Aurora
BBD = Motion
BBE = ?? Optiemus Ghost???
BBF = KEY2
BBG = KEY2 Lite / QWERTY Device

Regional variants are denoted by the number at the end, e.g. for KEYone 1 is US/APAC, 2 is EMEA, 3 is US CDMA, 4 is China CDMA, 5 is Global dual SIM, 6 is Japan, 7 is India Dual SIM.

And they don't do spec variants, just radio and chassis. Silver and Black KEYones whether 32 or 64 are the same model code if the radio is the same.

Except the BBE was tested under the name TCL.

Plus the BBE has the same Launcher profile as the BBF, which means it's a pkb device too.

It's quite possible that the BBE was dropped entirely in favour of the BBG.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

Except the BBE was tested under the name TCL.

Plus the BBE has the same Launcher profile as the BBF, which means it's a pkb device too.

It's quite possible that the BBE was dropped entirely in favour of the BBG.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Yeah the original stated plan last year was the KEYone and two SLAB phones... not sure at what point they decided to drop the 2nd Slab. Proable when they were trying to "shop" the Motion to Carriers and Retailers... But the Aurora too, was a "sign" that consumers aren't buying into premium priced Android Secure devcies on their own. For most BlackBerry fans, BlackBerry is a PKB....

Option was to end the partnership, or fall back on what they had some success with PKB... in the hopes that eventually Android Secure demand in enterprise would enough to support SLAB production again.

Optiemus's Ghost will probable show that they made the right move....

[ToniCipriani]

Except the BBE was tested under the name TCL.

Plus the BBE has the same Launcher profile as the BBF, which means it's a pkb device too.

It's quite possible that the BBE was dropped entirely in favour of the BBG.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Maybe was supposed to be a 3 device launch, KEYone being the premium PKB, Motion being the touch and the BBE is the low-cost fleet PKB for companies. Aligns with the Passport, Z30 and Classic lIneup.

But the KEYone launch was such a crap show with the it pushed the whole timeline late and BBE off a cliff.

[conite]

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Maybe was supposed to be a 3 device launch, KEYone being the premium PKB, Motion being the touch and the BBE is the low-cost fleet PKB for companies. Aligns with the Passport, Z30 and Classic lIneup.

But the KEYone launch was such a crap show with the it pushed the whole timeline late and BBE off a cliff.

But the BBE and BBF went through testing together - at least the application process.

[ToniCipriani]

But the BBE and BBF went through testing together - at least the application process.

Well they wouldn't just be working on one device... a cost cut version can get out the door easier and the next gen simultaneously.

Could also explain why the KEY2 is still only sporting a 660 this late in the year, maybe they intended to replace the KEYone earlier.

[conite]

Well they wouldn't just be working on one device... a cost cut version can get out the door easier and the next gen simultaneously.

Could also explain why the KEY2 is still only sporting a 660 this late in the year, maybe they intended to replace the KEYone earlier.

I'm sure the disastrous Oreo 8.0 pushed things back a couple of months.

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

I'm sure the disastrous Oreo 8.0 pushed things back a couple of months.

Disastrous?

Google got 8.1 out six months ago, and most everyone now has current and last years flagships on OREO... I wouldn't discount the initial problems causing a delay, but neither wold I say it was disastrous or a reason to excuse them at this point.

Mostly likely reason, is TCL Communications reorganization and limited resources. Alcatel accounted for most of the sales last year, so it only makes sense to focused their resources on getting out those devices announced at MWC first. Fit in BBMo when time is available.

TCL Communications turn around... rest on the success of the Alcatel phones, as BBMo's near term potential is almost nothing in relative terms.

[conite]

Disastrous?

Google got 8.1 out six months ago, and most everyone now has current and last years flagships on OREO... I wouldn't discount the initial problems causing a delay, but neither wold I say it was disastrous or a reason to excuse them at this point.

Mostly likely reason, is TCL Communications reorganization and limited resources. Alcatel accounted for most of the sales last year, so it only makes sense to focused their resources on getting out those devices announced at MWC first. Fit in BBMo when time is available.

TCL Communications turn around... rest on the success of the Alcatel phones, as BBMo's near term potential is almost nothing in relative terms.

My guess is they wanted to initially launch in April/May (one year anniversary), and the switch from 8 to 8.1 delayed it.

Blackberry Mobile has its own budget, and I don't suspect they're impacted by other issues a whole lot.

[anon(10268214)]

My guess is they wanted to initially launch in April/May (one year anniversary), and the switch from 8 to 8.1 delayed it.

Blackberry Mobile has its own budget, and I don't suspect they're impacted by other issues a whole lot.

Agree. 8.0 was riddled with issues and had they released an 8.0 and that being the only promised OS update on top of that...would have been a PR nightmare for BBMo. They definitely made the right choice.

[Vistaus]

Originally we were getting higher end phone and then something less than it.

As the article stated it might be that this 2nd device is a K2 lite.... but I really don't see the purpose of another SD625 device. Other than it is a good midgrade processor (combined buying power), and a K2 lite would allow for some manufacturing savings if they use the same body and share some other components. As well as a new name would remove the pricing fatigue of the KEYone... But it would probable mean that the K1 would no longer be manufactured... and with inventory so tight, it will disappear quickly.

Some taught that the new phone might be a little smaller and maybe powered by something like a SD450.... and be priced under the KEYone. Taught TCL had stated that neither of the new phones was a direct KEYone replacement....

Time will tell...

I don't see the point either. I mean: they should at least create a different design then, just like we had the Passport, Classic, Q10 and Q5... all PKB, all different designs and specs.

Posted via CB10 using my amazing  Passport (OG Red)

[ToniCipriani]

I don't see the point either. I mean: they should at least create a different design then, just like we had the Passport, Classic, Q10 and Q5... all PKB, all different designs and specs.

Posted via CB10 using my amazing  Passport (OG Red)

Q10, Classic, Q5 are arguably all the same old design logically, all use that beaten to death Snapdragon S4 Pro.

[Vistaus]

Q10, Classic, Q5 are arguably all the same old design logically, all use that beaten to death Snapdragon S4 Pro.

Same old design internally maybe, but my Passport for example looks nothing like a Classic on the outside. That's the point I was making.

And regarding specs: the PP has no sym key and special keys on the keyboard and more RAM and internal storage than the others, the Classic has a trackpad, the Q5 has very little storage, they all have different cameras, etc... but you're right, that's all the same. I actually can't believe BlackBerry never put them in the same price range!!!

Posted via CB10 using my amazing  Passport (OG Red)

[Chuck Finley69]

I don't see the point either. I mean: they should at least create a different design then, just like we had the Passport, Classic, Q10 and Q5... all PKB, all different designs and specs.

Posted via CB10 using my amazing  Passport (OG Red)

It's smart manufacturing and smart merchandising. For everyone that wishes they bought the KEYone or did buy one but want something newer, great, here's a KEYtwo. For everyone that can't afford a KEYone now or wants a KEYtwo but can't afford that, here's a lite version. Similar to days of the Curve and Bold.

iPhone 3 and 3GS or 5, 5S and the SE. Leaving externals and updating internals allows for the use of external components bought muti-year with declining tooling costs. Automobile 101. Heck, Manufacturing 101.....