[darkehawke]

So it's coming up to a year since BlackBerry 10 first launched. With that came devices from competitors such as the galaxy s4.
It's coming to that time of the year where Samsung fans are drooling over the prospects of the s5 however BlackBerry have no flagship lined up to replace the z30.
This time last year BlackBerry fans knew that the z10 was coming. They could wait for it. Much like the Samsung fans awaited the s4. This year Samsung fans are awaiting the s5 and the only thing BlackBerry has coming is a low end device, and a supposedly premium qwerty device but no one knows when.
Will the lack of a next gen BlackBerry 10 device result in legacy users coming to the end of their contracts departing for other platforms that release a current device?
Let's be honest the z30 is merely an updated z10. You can't call it a next gen device. It's what the Sony z1 is to the Sony xperia z.
Sony knows this and they have generated some genuine excitement over what the z2 will be like.
BlackBerry have catered to their qwerty fans. They know that a high end qwerty device will come.
But the z10 and z30 shows that there are a lot of BlackBerry fans who have adopted the touchscreen. Where is the device to satisfy the premium fans!

I know why BlackBerry are not able to release many devices this year. I'm curious as to how it will impact on BlackBerry and what people think?

My personal opinion is that BlackBerry will lose out. I personally will be upgrading this year and as of yet I have no choice when it comes to BlackBerry so for the first time in 5 years I will be getting a non BlackBerry phone.

Posted via CB10

[--TommesJay--]

Here's my take:

I'm a BlackBerry fan for years now and I went from the 9000 to the 9800 to the 9900 to the Z10. Now what is the thing I don't want to see from BlackBerry in the next months? A new device. I really don't.

I read Chris Umiastowski's take on BlackBerrys transition, John Chen and the Citron stock analysis two days ago and I totally agree with all that was said.

People need to realize that BlackBerry isn't a consumer device company anymore. BlackBerry tried lots of stuff the past few years and whenever they released a phone it A wasn't competitive and B got bad publicity, reviews and press. This really has to stop.

Now what John Chen's doing, as an experienced B2B executive, is to refocus the company on its strengths. Get rid of the things that don't work and start innovating on products that really deliver value to the right customers. These values lay in sophisticated and industry leading MDM software solutions. The new team Chen has carved together totally points to this enterprise strategy. And it's the right thing.

- staff has been cut down
- the multi $B device manufacturing assets and inventory have been written down
- they look to sell real estate they don't need anymore
- they go with Foxconn

Now what I see here, especially considering BlackBerrys stronghold in the MDM market, is a road back to profitability. I want BlackBerry to get off the yellow press consumer electronics radar and concentrate on the enterprise sector. They should improve and extend their products, further work on BB10, QNX automotive and BBM. And when they're back in the game and publicly known as a software services company first, THEN they can come back and make the next hardware approach.

And no, I don't think it will harm them. At all. Why? Because being a premium hardware manufacturer on western developed markets didn't work for them for years now. They sell less than 5M devices in a quarter globally and most of those devices aren't high end/premium devices at all, but old and cheap BB7 phones. So how should this harm them?
Posted via CB10

[howarmat]

^^Good points
I dont think it will make a difference at this point either way. Sales of BB10 were extremely underwhelming as is and throwing another couple devices out there wont change it much unless they are the 2 low end phones that will be for markets in Indonesia and such. Not the same markets really.

They are a company that have different goals now I think and they dont need updated devices to carry out these goals IMO. A Z10/Q10 and even the Z30 will work for enterprises the same as an updated model would do.

If they truly were still competing in the consumer market then sure not having a new device would probably hurt them a little but since their focuses have shifted its not as big of a deal

[RTK90]

Personally I would like to see the overall shape, form, and names of the phones stay the same. Just update the internals every year or so to keep ahead of the competition. (2015 BlackBerry z30 for example)

This creates a brand recognition that BlackBerry is lacking at the moment, and eases the minds of those who have bought their devices already.

Car manufacturers do it, and every 5 years or so make changes to their models.

I think it would work nicely for a company like BlackBerry

Posted via CB10

[RTK90]

So it's coming up to a year since BlackBerry 10 first launched. With that came devices from competitors such as the galaxy s4.
It's coming to that time of the year where Samsung fans are drooling over the prospects of the s5 however BlackBerry have no flagship lined up to replace the z30.
This time last year BlackBerry fans knew that the z10 was coming. They could wait for it. Much like the Samsung fans awaited the s4. This year Samsung fans are awaiting the s5 and the only thing BlackBerry has coming is a low end device, and a supposedly premium qwerty device but no one knows when.
Will the lack of a next gen BlackBerry 10 device result in legacy users coming to the end of their contracts departing for other platforms that release a current device?
Let's be honest the z30 is merely an updated z10. You can't call it a next gen device. It's what the Sony z1 is to the Sony xperia z.
Sony knows this and they have generated some genuine excitement over what the z2 will be like.
BlackBerry have catered to their qwerty fans. They know that a high end qwerty device will come.
But the z10 and z30 shows that there are a lot of BlackBerry fans who have adopted the touchscreen. Where is the device to satisfy the premium fans!

I know why BlackBerry are not able to release many devices this year. I'm curious as to how it will impact on BlackBerry and what people think?

My personal opinion is that BlackBerry will lose out. I personally will be upgrading this year and as of yet I have no choice when it comes to BlackBerry so for the first time in 5 years I will be getting a non BlackBerry phone.

Posted via CB10

Also why are you looking to replace the z30 as the flagship....... it's like it's been out for years, it's not even 6mo old.

Posted via CB10

[FFR]

So it's coming up to a year since BlackBerry 10 first launched. With that came devices from competitors such as the galaxy s4.
It's coming to that time of the year where Samsung fans are drooling over the prospects of the s5 however BlackBerry have no flagship lined up to replace the z30.
This time last year BlackBerry fans knew that the z10 was coming. They could wait for it. Much like the Samsung fans awaited the s4. This year Samsung fans are awaiting the s5 and the only thing BlackBerry has coming is a low end device, and a supposedly premium qwerty device but no one knows when.
Will the lack of a next gen BlackBerry 10 device result in legacy users coming to the end of their contracts departing for other platforms that release a current device?
Let's be honest the z30 is merely an updated z10. You can't call it a next gen device. It's what the Sony z1 is to the Sony xperia z.
Sony knows this and they have generated some genuine excitement over what the z2 will be like.
BlackBerry have catered to their qwerty fans. They know that a high end qwerty device will come.
But the z10 and z30 shows that there are a lot of BlackBerry fans who have adopted the touchscreen. Where is the device to satisfy the premium fans!

I know why BlackBerry are not able to release many devices this year. I'm curious as to how it will impact on BlackBerry and what people think?

My personal opinion is that BlackBerry will lose out. I personally will be upgrading this year and as of yet I have no choice when it comes to BlackBerry so for the first time in 5 years I will be getting a non BlackBerry phone.

Posted via CB10

What will you be getting?

[Bbnivende]

Personally I would like to see the overall shape, form, and names of the phones stay the same. Just update the internals every year or so to keep ahead of the competition. (2015 BlackBerry z30 for example)

This creates a brand recognition that BlackBerry is lacking at the moment, and eases the minds of those who have bought their devices already.

Car manufacturers do it, and every 5 years or so make changes to their models.

I think it would work nicely for a company like BlackBerry

Posted via CB10

The "shape and form" of the Z10 pales when compared with all the other smart phones. It needs to be redone as a Z30 mini.

I rather like the Z30 except the sharpness of the screen is not up to par with other top end phones.

The Q10 styling is fine but it would have benefited from a stainless steel band. Hopefully, the next Qwerty will address the very small 3.1 inch screen.


Sent from my Nexus 7 using CB Forums mobile app

[darkehawke]

What will you be getting?

I haven't decided yet.
Communication is key for me so I'm looking at the moto X with its active display as an option.
Basically what I have decided is to wait for 10.2.1 and see if any new news comes out.
I want to see if 10.2.1 is any good as well.
So far the leaks have me worried.
If the rumoured z50 gets announced I may end up waiting for it depending on what size it is.

Posted via CB10

[darkehawke]

Here's my take:

I'm a BlackBerry fan for years now and I went from the 9000 to the 9800 to the 9900 to the Z10. Now what is the thing I don't want to see from BlackBerry in the next months? A new device. I really don't.

I read Chris Umiastowski's take on BlackBerrys transition, John Chen and the Citron stock analysis two days ago and I totally agree with all that was said.

People need to realize that BlackBerry isn't a consumer device company anymore. BlackBerry tried lots of stuff the past few years and whenever they released a phone it A wasn't competitive and B got bad publicity, reviews and press. This really has to stop.

Now what John Chen's doing, as an experienced B2B executive, is to refocus the company on its strengths. Get rid of the things that don't work and start innovating on products that really deliver value to the right customers. These values lay in sophisticated and industry leading MDM software solutions. The new team Chen has carved together totally points to this enterprise strategy. And it's the right thing.

- staff has been cut down
- the multi $B device manufacturing assets and inventory have been written down
- they look to sell real estate they don't need anymore
- they go with Foxconn

Now what I see here, especially considering BlackBerrys stronghold in the MDM market, is a road back to profitability. I want BlackBerry to get off the yellow press consumer electronics radar and concentrate on the enterprise sector. They should improve and extend their products, further work on BB10, QNX automotive and BBM. And when they're back in the game and publicly known as a software services company first, THEN they can come back and make the next hardware approach.

And no, I don't think it will harm them. At all. Why? Because being a premium hardware manufacturer on western developed markets didn't work for them for years now. They sell less than 5M devices in a quarter globally and most of those devices aren't high end/premium devices at all, but old and cheap BB7 phones. So how should this harm them?
Posted via CB10

Great response here. Just what I wanted from this thread.
I will admit I haven't thought of some of the points you made.
I think it may still harm them in that it diminishes the brand somewhat but that's purely opinion.
I agree with you that now is not the time for a new device and they need to get themselves sorted. The part I disagree is the distinction between consumer and enterprise. I honestly think that both markets are linked.

Posted via CB10

[darkehawke]

Also why are you looking to replace the z30 as the flagship....... it's like it's been out for years, it's not even 6mo old.

Posted via CB10

The z30 is an old device that was released late.
The main reason I want to see a new device is because I want to see something new from BlackBerry. I am genuinely concerned about BlackBerry 10. I have not seen anything fresh since launch and not much innovative moves.
I want some indication of what BlackBerry intends to do with BlackBerry 10 and what direction they will take their devices.


Posted via CB10

[masterscarhead1]

Just wanted to point out that just because they are not focusing on consumer devices, doesn't mean they aren't making them
Jakarta is coming much sooner than everyone thinks, and at least 1, if not 2 other devices are in the works to be released this year
So, sure, their focus is the enterprise sector, but a good portion of what they make still comes from customers. From what I know currently, they are not giving up on that yet, even though they have changed their focus

[FFR]

I haven't decided yet.
Communication is key for me so I'm looking at the moto X with its active display as an option.
Basically what I have decided is to wait for 10.2.1 and see if any new news comes out.
I want to see if 10.2.1 is any good as well.
So far the leaks have me worried.
If the rumoured z50 gets announced I may end up waiting for it depending on what size it is.

Posted via CB10

The Moto x is a decent phone.

Regarding the z50 I wouldn't get my hopes up if I were you. (Mwc is a month away).

Regarding your worry in 10.2.1; there is a rumor that Sebastien Marineau is moving on, just like the founders of tat. Which would explain bb10's stagnation (no 10.3).

[FFR]

Just wanted to point out that just because they are not focusing on consumer devices, doesn't mean they aren't making them
Jakarta is coming much sooner than everyone thinks, and at least 1, if not 2 other devices are in the works to be released this year
So, sure, their focus is the enterprise sector, but a good portion of what they make still comes from customers. From what I know currently, they are not giving up on that yet, even though they have changed their focus

Actually that's precisely what it means.

Jakarta is being developed for emerging markets.

[Morty2264]

I say yes and no to this question.

People like what's "cool" and what's "trending." So if BlackBerry makes a touchscreen phone with amazing features - on par with the S4 or S5 - I can guarantee you that lots of people would turn their nose up at it and say, "It's a BlackBerry, so I don't want it." A QWERTY phone slider would be awesome, but again, the market is on all-touch phones, so people like me would love the QWERTY slider or a Q30-Ike phone, but most people would just gloss over it.

I don't know what to think anymore. People don't care. They go by brands. It's like when Nike was the huge craze. If you didn't have Nike, you were "uncool." People associate personal worth with brands. To me, that's just ridiculous. I love my Q10, but it's still A PHONE. This guy I know has a Note 2. Do I think he's not worth knowing because he doesn't have a BlackBerry? Of course not! He might think BlackBerry isn't awesome, but he still talks to me. So I just don't get this hype over phone brands. Switch platforms or get an S5 or whatever you'd like if you want!But don't laugh at those of us who still want a BlackBerry.

Sorry. It's been a bad day and a half. I need to rant out every now and again.

I don't know what will happen to BlackBerry as a company. But I do know that if I ever *need* to change my device platform, I will not get what everyone else has. I feel just... Like it won't work for me if I do. I will go WP if BBM goes cross-platform for them, or I'll grab a Sony Xperia Z1 or L, like my brother has. I just want to be different. And I don't want to judge anybody or have anyone judge me and slap a "label" and personal write-off of me because of my phone choice.

Posted via CB10

[Creativeink72]

I don't think they are sitting on their hands. I am betting they are working on an amazing device that will rock both enterprise and consumers!

A friend that works at BlackBerry says it is a whole new company inside and changes are happening daily.


Posted via CB10

[darkehawke]

I say yes and no to this question.

People like what's "cool" and what's "trending." So if BlackBerry makes a touchscreen phone with amazing features - on par with the S4 or S5 - I can guarantee you that lots of people would turn their nose up at it and say, "It's a BlackBerry, so I don't want it." A QWERTY phone slider would be awesome, but again, the market is on all-touch phones, so people like me would love the QWERTY slider or a Q30-Ike phone, but most people would just gloss over it.

I don't know what to think anymore. People don't care. They go by brands. It's like when Nike was the huge craze. If you didn't have Nike, you were "uncool." People associate personal worth with brands. To me, that's just ridiculous. I love my Q10, but it's still A PHONE. This guy I know has a Note 2. Do I think he's not worth knowing because he doesn't have a BlackBerry? Of course not! He might think BlackBerry isn't awesome, but he still talks to me. So I just don't get this hype over phone brands. Switch platforms or get an S5 or whatever you'd like if you want!But don't laugh at those of us who still want a BlackBerry.

Sorry. It's been a bad day and a half. I need to rant out every now and again.

I don't know what will happen to BlackBerry as a company. But I do know that if I ever *need* to change my device platform, I will not get what everyone else has. I feel just... Like it won't work for me if I do. I will go WP if BBM goes cross-platform for them, or I'll grab a Sony Xperia Z1 or L, like my brother has. I just want to be different. And I don't want to judge anybody or have anyone judge me and slap a "label" and personal write-off of me because of my phone choice.

Posted via CB10

Just so you know. In certain parts of the UK the z1 is second only to apple. It regularly outsells Samsung in my area :P

Posted via CB10

[darkehawke]

Just wanted to point out that just because they are not focusing on consumer devices, doesn't mean they aren't making them
Jakarta is coming much sooner than everyone thinks, and at least 1, if not 2 other devices are in the works to be released this year
So, sure, their focus is the enterprise sector, but a good portion of what they make still comes from customers. From what I know currently, they are not giving up on that yet, even though they have changed their focus

The jakarta is early this year I believe. But I don't think it will be next gen. It will provide a much needed entry point into BlackBerry 10. Arguably a year late.

Posted via CB10

[masterscarhead1]

Actually that's precisely what it means.

Jakarta is being developed for emerging markets.

You are wrong at least for this year. I can say for a fact that that there is at least 1 high end touch screen devices in beta testing right now.

[darkehawke]

I don't think they are sitting on their hands. I am betting they are working on an amazing device that will rock both enterprise and consumers!

A friend that works at BlackBerry says it is a whole new company inside and changes are happening daily.


Posted via CB10

The amount of times people have said this here only to be let down.
I'm glad the company is changing. But I don't think that they have any amazing plans. I would love to be proved wrong!

Posted via CB10

[darkehawke]

You are wrong at least for this year. I can say for a fact that that there is at least 1 high end touch screen devices in beta testing right now.

I hope you're right but why haven't they announced it?
If it's in beta surely they would have announced it by now? Or am I being optimistic when I see beta as the step before release?

Posted via CB10

[grover5]

I haven't decided yet.
Communication is key for me so I'm looking at the moto X with its active display as an option.
Basically what I have decided is to wait for 10.2.1 and see if any new news comes out.
I want to see if 10.2.1 is any good as well.
So far the leaks have me worried.
If the rumoured z50 gets announced I may end up waiting for it depending on what size it is.

Posted via CB10

Doesn't the moto x have essentially the same cpu/gpu and screen res as the Z30? The Z30 has a much better battery, speakers and expandable memory. I think the Moto x would be a downgrade.

Posted via CB10

[just_luc]

I hope you're right but why haven't they announced it?
If it's in beta surely they would have announced it by now? Or am I being optimistic when I see beta as the step before release?

Posted via CB10

Please don't take this as a confirmation or denial of the above. I don't have that information. But IF they are working on something NOT ANNOUNCING it is the the right move. Keep it completely understand wraps until it's ready and polished. Then launch it. That way nobody is expecting it and nobody is let down by delays.

Posted via CB10

[habs_fan]

Just wanted to point out that just because they are not focusing on consumer devices, doesn't mean they aren't making them
Jakarta is coming much sooner than everyone thinks, and at least 1, if not 2 other devices are in the works to be released this year
So, sure, their focus is the enterprise sector, but a good portion of what they make still comes from customers. From what I know currently, they are not giving up on that yet, even though they have changed their focus

I heard that too, a friend of mine has played with a new keyboard BlackBerry he said Q50 maybe and he said he loved it

Posted via CB10

[CrazyInventor1]

It didnt work out so well when Palm didnt have a new device to offer. My feeling is if you don't have a new device to offer you will not be keeping your current base and for sure not capturing any new customers. This is most likely not a good strategy!

[SirJes]

Actually that's precisely what it means.

Jakarta is being developed for emerging markets.

No that is not what it means, and I'll go on record and say that though me and mastercarhead don't really get along,

He is right there's at least 1 device in works for 2014 that's meant to be a high end.

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