[Ed YANG]

Instead of waiting for the announcement of the SLIDER... i am eagerly waiting for the official announcement from SIEMENS on their upcoming release of a smartphone under their GIGASET brand name.
It'll be interesting which OS they chosen for the re-entry to the mobile market.

[dbmalloy]

In the end.... it is just another example of that BB has left the consumer market.... if they can secure Android to the point BB 10 is... BES and the main BB10 features ported to Android... expect the handset business to be gone... otherwise they are sort of stuck keeping one or two models a year to keep security and corporate types happy.... people really need to get over viewing BB from the consumer perspectives as it no longer applies...

[Christofforo]

Wow the snark and d-baggery is thick in this thread.

To answer the OP, yes, if Chen actually plans a November release then we'll start hearing legit details soon, as opposed to the BS we've gotten so far from Reddit and Twitter.

Posted via CB10

Thank you ~ first person to answer my question.

[Originalloverman]

To be honest, having 1-2 phones a year is a better strategy. Just have to make sure it has some kind of wow factor. Leap was a waste of resources and so was the Q5. What it needs to do is put some marketing dollars behind that one launch each year.

Posted via CB10

Esp when most people contract is around 2 years I don't see why all these crying, apple only has 2 phones a year, plus BlackBerry was built to last and now with the new Ventures and company finally opening up to BlackBerry again it's a good thing, in my opinion.

Send from the amazing powers of the  Z30

[Originalloverman]

Chen has pushed out worse devices than his predecessors. He didn't kill the Passport was the only reason it came out, and he personally brought the Classic and Leap to market. He killed off every all touch project he had. He can release 3 different versions of Passport, 3 colors of Classic with 2 more on the way, but couldn't get another company to build a Z30 version, since Jabil Circuits who made it ended the relationship. And sales of devices he has personally delivered to market are awful.

Posted via Z30

And again how did the z30 sell? Isn't a leap an all touch?

Send from the amazing powers of the  Z30

[lnichols]

And again how did the z30 sell? Isn't a leap an all touch?

Send from the amazing powers of the  Z30

Again could they push a phone they couldn't make any more of? Did they advertise it at all? Did they make a US GSM/LTE variant? I'll help you out, answer is no to all these. You couldn't even buy one in the US if you were on AT&T and T-Mobile until almost a year after release and only through shopblackberry.com. As for the Leap, it is not an upgrade for Z10 users, and is downgrade for Z30 users. How well is the Leap selling.

Posted via Z30

[crackberry_geek]

Thank you ~ first person to answer my question.

To quote his answer "... if... then we'll hear soon..."

That's a typical Chen-like answer.

Some of us have refused to accept such non-answers from Chensters, and you should too.

Expect more!

Posted via CB10

[CTU2fan]

To quote his answer "... if... then we'll hear soon..."

That's a typical Chen-like answer.

Some of us have refused to accept such non-answers from Chensters, and you should too.

Expect more!

Posted via CB10

That's Mr. Chen to you!

The difference is, Chen knows the answer and still gives us vague non-answers. And since he does, that's the best any of us can do.

Posted via CB10

[cbvinh]

Again could they push a phone they couldn't make any more of? Did they advertise it at all? Did they make a US GSM/LTE variant? I'll help you out, answer is no to all these. You couldn't even buy one in the US if you were on AT&T and T-Mobile until almost a year after release and only through shopblackberry.com. As for the Leap, it is not an upgrade for Z10 users, and is downgrade for Z30 users. How well is the Leap selling.

Yes, they did sell a GSM/LTE variant. It was the Z30 that was released on launch... outside the U.S. It's the variant being sold on shopblackberry.com. Its LTE is most compatible with T-Mobile USA. There's a more LTE compatible AT&T version (an extra band?), but that wasn't made. Why didn't BlackBerry make it? Maybe AT&T didn't want it. As for T-Mobile USA not carrying the Z30, they probably looked at the sales of the Z10 and Q10 and passed on it too. A few months later, a vocal group of BlackBerry users demanded that BlackBerry end their relationship with T-Mobile. That pretty much killed any possibility of T-Mobile being able to carry a Z30 that's already being produced and ready for their network.

If Chen has a fault, it's listening to BlackBerry users. The T-Mobile/BlackBerry spat didn't have to happen, as BlackBerry is back with T-Mobile... an now, why would T-Mobile decide to pick up a two year old Z30 for their lineup? BlackBerry users wouldn't even consider it an upgrade, just based on that duration alone. Chen also listened to his corporate customers, who said they wanted something like the Bold. Well, are those corporate customers buying up Classics?

Summary of BlackBerry difficulties with devices:

- BBOS users didn't want BB10 because it's too different and only high-end devices were being produced, which was out of their budget, as the majority are Curve users.
- Z10 users like the full touch but didn't want the Z30, which was made available less than a year later(!), because it was too big. Z10 users won't move to any PKB device. They want another Z10, only more high-end.
- Q5, Q10, Classic users won't move to any full touch device. The Passport is too big and keyboard too different.
- Z3, Leap users won't spend more for a high-end full touch device.
- Z30 users won't go to a smaller screen or PKB.
- Passport users won't go full touch or to the Q5, Q10, Classic form factor.

BlackBerry, by listening to its users, or trying to give its users options, ended up segmenting their own niche market. This is probably why each successive generation of BlackBerry devices get fewer and fewer sales on an individual basis.

[lnichols]

Yes, they did sell a GSM/LTE variant. It was the Z30 that was released on launch... outside the U.S. It's the variant being sold on shopblackberry.com. Its LTE is most compatible with T-Mobile USA. There's a more LTE compatible AT&T version (an extra band?), but that wasn't made. Why didn't BlackBerry make it? Maybe AT&T didn't want it. As for T-Mobile USA not carrying the Z30, they probably looked at the sales of the Z10 and Q10 and passed on it too. A few months later, a vocal group of BlackBerry users demanded that BlackBerry end their relationship with T-Mobile. That pretty much killed any possibility of T-Mobile being able to carry a Z30 that's already being produced and ready for their network.

If Chen has a fault, it's listening to BlackBerry users. The T-Mobile/BlackBerry spat didn't have to happen, as BlackBerry is back with T-Mobile... an now, why would T-Mobile decide to pick up a two year old Z30 for their lineup? BlackBerry users wouldn't even consider it an upgrade, just based on that duration alone. Chen also listened to his corporate customers, who said they wanted something like the Bold. Well, are those corporate customers buying up Classics?

Summary of BlackBerry difficulties with devices:

- BBOS users didn't want BB10 because it's too different and only high-end devices were being produced, which was out of their budget, as the majority are Curve users.
- Z10 users like the full touch but didn't want the Z30, which was made available less than a year later(!), because it was too big. Z10 users won't move to any PKB device. They want another Z10, only more high-end.
- Q5, Q10, Classic users won't move to any full touch device. The Passport is too big and keyboard too different.
- Z3, Leap users won't spend more for a high-end full touch device.
- Z30 users won't go to a smaller screen or PKB.
- Passport users won't go full touch or to the Q5, Q10, Classic form factor.

BlackBerry, by listening to its users, or trying to give its users options, ended up segmenting their own niche market. This is probably why each successive generation of BlackBerry devices get fewer and fewer sales on an individual basis.

Yes I have that version of Z30. It wasn't made for the US market, it was made for Canadian market. They never made the STA100-1 which would have been the US market version. So again they never made a version for the US market.

I agree the T-Mobile blow up was stupid by Chen and the people here who demanded it. I had no issue with T-Mobile's targeting of BlackBerry users to another device. They want to sell devices and BlackBerry wasn't pushing their own devices and people weren't buying.

Agree that Classic was a mistake too. Majority of people I see picking up the devices in the government space are choosing Z10 or Z30 devices. When people are given a choice of device, most are going to choose all touch because that is what they are using for personal devices.

Also agree on poor initial sales of Z30 because most people had the Z10, like me and we're not going to upgrade to a device with a lower PPI screen 6 months after they bought a Z10. I bought my Z30 when they dropped to $224, my Z10 was about 17 months old, and it looked like BlackBerry wasn't going to release a new all touch anytime soon. Z30 is a great device, and BlackBerry should have based the Classic and Leap's internals off of the Z30's SoC, and not the Z10's.

My concern with Chen's one device strategy is, given what I've seen from him so far, he is going to release a device with minimal appeal. I also don't think he cares for hardware and worry he may be trying to intentionally tank hardware so he doesn't have to deal with it and just do software.

Posted via Z30

[OTCHRussell]

And again how did the z30 sell? Isn't a leap an all touch?

Send from the amazing powers of the  Z30

Nobody ever heard of Z30 unless they were on CrackBerry!!!

9000 > Q10 > Z10 >Z30>Z30>

[MarsupilamiX]

Esp when most people contract is around 2 years I don't see why all these crying, apple only has 2 phones a year, plus BlackBerry was built to last and now with the new Ventures and company finally opening up to BlackBerry again it's a good thing, in my opinion.

Send from the amazing powers of the  Z30

We are at a point where BlackBerry sells less than 1 million phones a quarter, and some of you guys are still able to make comparisons with Apple???

Only because Apple does something does not mean that BlackBerry should do it.
Apple focuses on the luxury/lifestyle crowd, with an ASP slightly higher than 680$.
When they launch 2 phones a year, it works easily.

BlackBerry on the other hand, is not in any position to refuse to penetrate different market (income) segments.
1-2 phones a year is basically the death sentence for the hardware division.

[AL8x B]

Summary of BlackBerry difficulties with devices:

- BBOS users didn't want BB10 because it's too different and only high-end devices were being produced, which was out of their budget, as the majority are Curve users.
- Z10 users like the full touch but didn't want the Z30, which was made available less than a year later(!), because it was too big. Z10 users won't move to any PKB device. They want another Z10, only more high-end.
- Q5, Q10, Classic users won't move to any full touch device. The Passport is too big and keyboard too different.
- Z3, Leap users won't spend more for a high-end full touch device.
- Z30 users won't go to a smaller screen or PKB.
- Passport users won't go full touch or to the Q5, Q10, Classic form factor.
.

I began witg a Z10 and love it. After, you're right, my Z30 was too big, but now, I really love my Classic. PKB is really great. Get it few millimeters less large and I'll buy the next one. Blue por favor !

Posted via CB10

[JulesDB]

With so much talk of shifting resources away from hardware, practically at every interview these days, he's setting up a hedge as far as the slider goes. This would be the phase where the negotiations with carriers are being finalized and this talk of "maybe two, maybe one" phone per year can't be inspiring confidence among the major carriers. "We're actively moving resources away from hardware but let me tell you about a great phone we want you to launch in the Fall"

Except that you can outsource it, Apple's iPhones are made in China by Foxconn.

So maybe you don't need a full blown hardware division...

[chenageddon]

So maybe you don't need a full blown hardware division...

So, kind of like how Facebook, Google, and Amazon tried "make" phones but without the billions of customers to sell them to. Not a recipe for success.

[smis]

I am hoping they do release the slider at the end of the year if it runs android and BB10 i'll buy 3 of them.
If Chen can appeal to the consumers than they will demand the corporates to buy them as well.
it all starts from the bottom up and not from the top down the way Chen seems to think.

[CTU2fan]

We are at a point where BlackBerry sells less than 1 million phones a quarter, and some of you guys are still able to make comparisons with Apple???

Only because Apple does something does not mean that BlackBerry should do it.
Apple focuses on the luxury/lifestyle crowd, with an ASP slightly higher than 680$.
When they launch 2 phones a year, it works easily.

BlackBerry on the other hand, is not in any position to refuse to penetrate different market (income) segments.
1-2 phones a year is basically the death sentence for the hardware division.

But conversely if you're BlackBerry and only moving 1 million devices, can you really afford to play around developing 4+ devices a year?

And 2 devices a year is basically what they've been doing for a couple years now anyway. 2013 saw a bunch of new devices, but last year was just Passport and Classic, and this year is Leap and (maybe) slider. Everything else is just cosmetic variants. They could easily settle into 2 a year and cover their bases well. High end and budget all touch one year, then the same the next year with PKB devices (I'd have gone Q5 and slider, but it would probably be Classic and slider or Passport). Keeps them on a roughly 2 year cycle for the on-contract folks.

Posted via CB10

[anon(870071)]

C'mon peeps don't be negative. It will launch sometime in the fall and relax.

[Prem WatsApp]

With so much talk of shifting resources away from hardware, practically at every interview these days, he's setting up a hedge as far as the slider goes. This would be the phase where the negotiations with carriers are being finalized and this talk of "maybe two, maybe one" phone per year can't be inspiring confidence among the major carriers. "We're actively moving resources away from hardware but let me tell you about a great phone we want you to launch in the Fall"

Hilarious username!!

Wish it wasn't so descriptively true.

Posted via CB10

Prem WatsApp inspired...? ;-)

Serious question...

�   "BB Android Armageddon: Chenisys is uploading in 5,4,3..."   �

[anon(8865116)]

we just need to be realistic here. Every division is losing money except for software. Handsets are way too expensive. I have no doubt blackberry could make a great phone that could get good sales, however, is it worth betting the future of the company on? Is that not why Heinz was let go and Chen brought in?

Frankly, I'm bummed because I'm a long time iOS user and I've been waiting to make the jump to blackberry I just never saw a good reason why. If anything, I would want blackberry for 100% privacy but ironically, iOS and whatsapp are the only ones that seem to be giving the governments the finger by not holding the encryption keys for local authorities. (I'm sure there is a Backdoor into iOS anyway though)And all this talk about an android phone has seemed to fizzle out so I'm almost thinking it's not even going to come. Even if it did come out, how likely is it that blackberry would be able to create a flawless android version in less than 2 years? It's like asking for a storm all over again.

And as a shareholder, I'm impressed with what JC has done from cutting the magnitude of losses but I'm siding more with the street now in saying 'show me the money'. You say you're a software company, why, because you bought a few companies to supplement BES? What happened to bbm and organic growth? Oh you got a licensing deal, great, you can't tell us anything about it? wtf. You know it's pretty bad when the other company doesn't want to be named... I guess that's the start of a great partnership. Lol I don't mean to be cynical but I guess I'm just voicing the frustrations a lot of people have.

Also, and I think people will agree with me here, the company is fine from a financial standpoint if it gets away from handsets but the overall growth of the company is questionable. I guess I was hoping for Chen the messiah instead of Chen the axe man. I could see blackberry growing software to a billion a year in 2 years but no investor wants to wait that long and it'll be peanuts compared to the money blackberry was making. I'm hoping they come out of left field with some IOT appliances to be honest. It's probably a stupid financial decision but I do think blackberry sounds like a cool brand name for consumer IOT devices instead of corporate software lol

[DenverRalphy]

You mean you are waiting on, John" We are working on something" Chen.

20 months in and nothing to show for it. This guy better deliver!


Posted via CB10

To be fair... That's not a Chen trait so much as it's a BBRY in general trait. BBRY (and/or RIM) has always been this way. However, I don't really see how you can say he has nothing to show for his actions. Chen has made big changes over the last 20 months to improve BBRY, finally making them money (albeit not much, but at least they're no longer hemorrhaging money), they actually have an achievable goal now, and things are looking all around better.

I'm of a mind that those dismissive of Chen's achievements are only so because his changes weren't what the fan base wanted for their own personal desires.


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