1. pattste's Avatar
    Like most people here I assume, I'm excited to see new handsets coming out in the next few days. I am however worried about the prices, which seem very high considering the perception that many have of BlackBerry these days. It appears that the new phones will sell for $549 no-contract or $199 on a 3-year contract here in Canada. This is as expensive or even more expensive than the top Android devices and even into iPhone territory.

    Rogers BlackBerry Torch 9810 official price points! | MobileSyrup.com

    The comments are telling. Even though MobileSyrup is an Android fan site, a guy who comments "still shooting themselves in the foot with those prices" and gets 32 people in agreement and not a single one against is clearly onto something.

    I think RIM is making the same mistake they made with the PlayBook. The tablet was priced $100 too high and so are these phones. I predict disappointing sales.
    08-03-11 06:53 PM
  2. Phil DeLong's Avatar
    Regardless of any OS bias, I do agree that I feel they are priced too high.
    08-03-11 06:56 PM
  3. ta2hallm's Avatar
    I agree that they seem very expensive. At this point I never want to sign another contract with a carrier again. My wife wrecked her phone last week and there was no way I was calling Rogers to see if they would subsidize a new Blackberry on condition of starting fresh contract. Went out and bought a Curve 3G cause that was most economical. Torch and Bold were just way too much for our budget. You can buy a decent laptop for $549, something the whole family can use. They will get the addicts to buy, but not the typical user, especially since everybody expects big things next year.
    08-03-11 07:04 PM
  4. bharuch7282's Avatar
    well as far as i know the new handsets they launch is really expensive at the time on launch date and eventually the price gets lower after 15 days. so ppl dont just jump on new handsets let the days go by.
    kbz1960 likes this.
    08-03-11 07:09 PM
  5. bellxx's Avatar
    With all the complaints about blackberries didn't have enough power (better processors etc) and all that. They come out with all that new power stuff and people complain now that they are too expensive. These improvements are not free. I think the prices are in line with what we are getting.

    Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com
    08-03-11 07:12 PM
  6. kevinnugent's Avatar
    $549 off contract is a pittance (relatively). It's for pre-sale for $749 here. You guys get it too easy (not a shot - just fact).
    08-03-11 07:13 PM
  7. howarmat's Avatar
    i think most will agree 199 with contract is standard across the board. you were dreaming if they were going to be less than that. i heard some talk of 299 with contract on some providers so maybe you should just be thankful
    MissJennell#IM likes this.
    08-03-11 07:18 PM
  8. biggulpseh's Avatar
    i think most will agree 199 with contract is standard across the board. you were dreaming if they were going to be less than that. i heard some talk of 299 with contract on some providers so maybe you should just be thankful
    Contracts in Canada are 3 years not 2 years like they are in the US
    08-03-11 07:28 PM
  9. eds817's Avatar
    My 9700 was $199 almost 2 years ago but there was a $75 rebate for my old 8320 and a week after I bought it TMO offered $50 discount Thanksgiving weekend. So it cost me $74. I wouldn't be surprised to see similar deals when the new phones release.
    08-03-11 07:32 PM
  10. kevinnugent's Avatar
    Contracts in Canada are 3 years not 2 years like they are in the US
    Why do you guys allow this? It's crap. No phone lasts 3 years.
    08-03-11 07:34 PM
  11. pattste's Avatar
    i think most will agree 199 with contract is standard across the board. you were dreaming if they were going to be less than that. i heard some talk of 299 with contract on some providers so maybe you should just be thankful
    On Rogers, at $199 on a 3-year contract, the new BlackBerry phones will be $50 more than the HTC Evo 3D, Samsung Galaxy S Infuse 4G and iPhone 4 16Gb. At that price, only people who want a BlackBerry and nothing else will be buying them.

    You are right, I guess, I was dreaming that considering all the bad press, shrinking market share and negative outlook, RIM would want to come out with a bang. Instead, they're just as arrogant as ever.
    ta2hallm likes this.
    08-03-11 07:34 PM
  12. howarmat's Avatar
    Contracts in Canada are 3 years not 2 years like they are in the US
    true that might be a little harder to swallow then but i still think the off contract price is right in line with US
    08-03-11 07:35 PM
  13. austriker's Avatar
    [QUOTE=ta2hallm;6536600] You can buy a decent laptop for $549, something the whole family can use. [QUOTE]



    thats a great point, regardless of the phone being sold, you can pretty much get a netbook or a low end laptop for the price of a cell phone these days. of course I guess the idea is that these super smartphones are replacing laptops.. I dont know, Id rather have a laptop with a nice screen. thus my purchase of the best phone, a blackberry (unbaised of course)..
    08-03-11 08:05 PM
  14. CanuckSoldier's Avatar
    We don't have as much competition in Canada sadly, so we are stuck in these 3 year contracts and either suffer with an old phone or pay to payout the last year of the contract. Most Canadian carriers do offer bargain upgrades at the start of your 3rd year to entice you to sign a new 3 year contract, but they are rarely the top phones that they offer for 0-$50 down. But I did get my wife her curve on one of these deals and it does everything she needs a smartphone to do.

    And for the people beating on RIM for this, give them a break it is the mafia run carriers that set the retail prices not RIM and the carriers don't care whatit makes RIM look like they just care about squeezing all the profit they can out of the local market.

    CS
    08-03-11 08:09 PM
  15. austriker's Avatar
    gosh 3 year contracts in canada?! thats crazy. I cannot even get myself to commit 2 years to a carrier down here!
    AbuYazeedUK likes this.
    08-03-11 09:05 PM
  16. sportline's Avatar
    How much is it off contract or pay full?
    08-03-11 09:12 PM
  17. AbuYazeedUK's Avatar
    I was shocked when contracts went to 18 months from 12 months but 3 years?!! Daaaamn
    08-03-11 09:29 PM
  18. anon3396357's Avatar
    With all the complaints about blackberries didn't have enough power (better processors etc) and all that. They come out with all that new power stuff and people complain now that they are too expensive. These improvements are not free. I think the prices are in line with what we are getting.

    Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com
    "New power stuff" which costs for less in other phones?
    08-03-11 11:52 PM
  19. darkmanx2g's Avatar
    299.99 is pretty steep. The rest of the competition hits and falls at 199.99. The Samsung charge released at 299.99 also and I'm sure that turned away a lot of potential buyers.
    The carrier should release it at 249.99 with 50 Mir. I wanted to try out this device but at 600-650 no contract I would rather buy the Samsung Hercules. At least its finally releasing, 3 years in the making.

    Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com
    08-04-11 03:00 AM
  20. Rootbrian's Avatar
    I am currently saving up for the new one, or a 9780, whichever is available at wind mobile once the term on my carrier is up. I'm quite patient and won't complain. I suggest people just save up and wait for their term to be completed. You don't need to pay the ETF cause it'll likely be more than the phone. Found another thread: http://forums.crackberry.com/general...points-635229/

    Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com
    08-04-11 03:57 AM
  21. qbnkelt's Avatar
    I've known these devices were coming. I've known that I'd buy off contract. So I've been allocating funds towards their purchase for the last few months for both devices. Just planned ahead.
    southlander likes this.
    08-04-11 04:11 AM
  22. Branta's Avatar
    On Rogers, at $199 on a 3-year contract, the new BlackBerry phones will be $50 more than the HTC Evo 3D, Samsung Galaxy S Infuse 4G and iPhone 4 16Gb. At that price, only people who want a BlackBerry and nothing else will be buying them.

    You are right, I guess, I was dreaming that considering all the bad press, shrinking market share and negative outlook, RIM would want to come out with a bang. Instead, they're just as arrogant as ever.
    The price to user is determined by the reseller (the network), not the manufacturer. In most markets the law does not allow RIM to influence the end-user price, nor does it allow collusion between different resellers to fix a common price.
    08-04-11 05:21 AM
  23. DaveyDoo's Avatar
    We've got to face facts. Mobile phones are an expensive "hobby", particularly newly released models.
    08-04-11 05:33 AM
  24. SRR500's Avatar
    Keep in mind that the price quotes that we have seen so far are still just rumors.

    Granted some seem more reliable than others (leaked carrier materials etc.).

    Nothing is sure until the phones are on the shelf. Even then, if the price is too high for the market, it can come down quickly.

    The carriers are going to get every penny that that can out of you. They can drop the price if they need to and people will think they are getting a bargain when in fact the carriers were just gouging the early buyers.

    It's how supply and demand works.

    Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com
    08-04-11 06:11 AM
  25. morfy50's Avatar
    The biggest issue with the price is that it doesn't appear in-line with what a RIM handset is worth these days. (to the general buyer)

    I don't feel the pricing is outrageous for a new higher end smartphone, but I do think it's a little steep especially for OS7 which is at EOL from day one.
    Phil DeLong and howarmat like this.
    08-04-11 06:57 AM
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