Did that impact them? When I upgraded mine iPhone, my daughter's was free to be part of the ATT network. Apple still sees two iPhones sold, AFAIK.
RIMs decline was partly due to their co-CEOs arrogance and pompous attitude with respect to Apple as a threat.
It may seem a minor point, but I think it’s important. Apple is NOT giving away phones in a BOGO offer. Never has with a top tier phone as far as I can recall.
In your case, AT&T is paying Apple to give your daughter a phone on the condition that you open (and pay AT&T for) a new line for 2 or 2.5 years.
Actually, the consumer is buying 2 iPhones and getting the cost of one of them refunded via bill credits.
Not quite. They have to pay for the phone through a higher monthly cost. Dies not really matter as the mobile phone operators are paying fir any subsidies they offer. The phone cost is fixed by Apple.
I’m surprised that there isn’t a survivable niche for smartphones with QWERTY thumb boards. I don’t even think there is any in the Android world other than one-off models.
Should we conclude that software keyboards are only a little bit worse to a lot better than hardware thumb boards, while the benefit of more display area is huge?
There may be some OEM that rolls out a smartphone with a physical QWERTY keyboard now that BB is all but gone. As you mentioned there have been a few one-offs but no one outside of Blackberry was making it into a model line. Personally, I think there's still a limited market for one and some company might be able to see a little profit by addressing it.
I don’t think Apple killed Blackberry, Android did with their cheap smartphones.
Apple took the high end, and Samsung took the middle, and the army of cheap Android manufacturers that were at best financially break even took the rest.
Without the “free” Android OS Blackberry would have had their niche... Unfortunately, App developers need volume so focusing on the Google Play Store was inevitable. Blackberry without apps became irrelevant.
Except BB’s core market was business and their killer feature was security/encryption and device management, not cost. I don’t think businesses said “oh, we can get an android device for $400 instead of $600 for an iPhone; let’s switch over!” Rather it was their employees requesting/demanding ‘real’ smartphones and those smartphones getting capabilities that the organizations needed.
I’m surprised that there isn’t a survivable niche for smartphones with QWERTY thumb boards. I don’t even think there is any in the Android world other than one-off models.
Should we conclude that software keyboards are only a little bit worse to a lot better than hardware thumb boards, while the benefit of more display area is huge?
Yes, exactly. With predictive text, autocorrect, etc, screen/software keyboards are quite good and usable, so the differences between them and a hardware keyboard start to evaporate. Screen real estate on the other hand can’t be compensated for by software. You either have it or you don’t.
When you look at what people use their smartphones for, a small portion of it requires a keyboard while a much larger portion requires a screen. That makes the decision pretty simple. If you need no other evidence, the utter lack of devices on the market with physical keyboards should make the point abundantly clear.
Any corporate or US government people out there who are still using BBs instead of iPhones for HIPAA and classified use? I know iPhones are approved for sensitive unclassified use but wasn’t sure they were approved for classified use.
Some, but they are dying breeds.
The use of Apple devices for assorted classifications varies. Some have the wi-fi and bluetooth chips effectively removed, and those are media readers. Others have controlled access by both people and area of the facility that they are used in.
i wouldn't put too much weight on "lost signal" - few missing key factors: (1) BYOD - BB was corp device, when the corp controlled by MBAs, BYOD sounds excellent idea for cost cutting - wife/kids control the buying decision, not crop = compression to minimize date usage and security both were gone form the selection criteria. (2) FBI/CIA didn't like BBOS that not had backdoor to snoop at the time. Actively promote alternative OS is their easy say to achieve backdoor goal. (3) Patent troll and stock option got on Co-CEOs nerve and board eager to get rid of both under the mutural fund MGR - at the time, almost all funds sell by the bank own BB stock. The "smart" MGRs promote heavily "software only" model to optimize earning - currently, it appear to be the model of BB - however, those same MGRs moved far away from their model BB... (4) etc. etc. IMHO. Expire license is good. Half hearted effort should end. With corp switch to end BYOD (support too high eventually some CTO admit), BB still high in demand, just the current board or leadership dig too deep in their software only model heels. Unless, a second coming of someone like "jobs"? (perfect timing for 5G, new platform without baggage).
i never understood how blackberry was a global phone, i remember a heated discussion with my room-mate who really liked his blackberry. it seemed silly to say world phone when it came with an English keyboard. If i wanted to type in hebrew i would have had to remember the keyboard layout, same with korean and norwegian. As Jobs said, you cannot change the keys once these things are shipped. when the iphone update gave you more than one keyboard i think it became a global phone.
Given that the keyboard was seen as this killer feature for RIM, it was a sign of uncertainty in the company when they killed it. While RIM would keep coming back to that keyboard as its selling point, the company did release the BlackBerry Storm in 2008 without one
A cousin of mine got one of those just after I got an iPhone 3GS. The Storm was a plastic, resistive screen with an awesome input lag that you would not believe. The difference was embarrassing. Truely embarrassing. For RIM.
Given that the keyboard was seen as this killer feature for RIM, it was a sign of uncertainty in the company when they killed it. While RIM would keep coming back to that keyboard as its selling point, the company did release the BlackBerry Storm in 2008 without one
A cousin of mine got one of those just after I got an iPhone 3GS. The Storm was a plastic, resistive screen with an awesome input lag that you would not believe. The difference was embarrassing. Truely embarrassing. For RIM.
After the first gen. iPhone was out, I was hoping the next iteration would give us a hardware keyboard option. I do remember reading a lot of reviews that also were hoping for one as well.
The thing is that, much like the mouse, USB, CDs, etc., Apple was taking everyone kicking and screaming into the next technological phase. My kids have absolutely no problem typing on glass. It is not just the next generation. Neither my wife, nor my mother have any issues typing for hours (literally) on their iPhones.
I still have a little problem typing on glass as my fingers get sore after a while. For me, the Apple swipe keyboard is a real boon and I use it for everything now.
As a little aside, when I had the first iPhone, a couple of my colleagues had Blackberries. When they asked me how I knew if I received a new email, I said there'd be a badge on the app icon. They ridiculed it, because the Blackberry would flash a Red LED to indicate a new email.
It's easy to forget that the iPhone didn't just destroy the competition, it grew the entire market, changed the very definition of a smartphone -- and then destroyed the competition.
Sounds like Bane from The Dark Knight Rises. He didn't want Batman to just die. He wanted to destroy Gotham in front of Batman's eyes - "And then, when Gotham is ashes, you have my permission to die"!
to my knowledge, the BB phone does have multi-language KB and OS to match up. you can buy the unit in the respected region and OS came from the local carrier with corrected version (usually 3 to 5 month late than the NA OS release). I still has Arabic/English dual KB for BBOS7. However, I only uploaded english OS to save space. To say BB was not world phone is not accurate. IMHO.
After the first gen. iPhone was out, I was hoping the next iteration would give us a hardware keyboard option. I do remember reading a lot of reviews that also were hoping for one as well.
The thing is that, much like the mouse, USB, CDs, etc., Apple was taking everyone kicking and screaming into the next technological phase. My kids have absolutely no problem typing on glass. It is not just the next generation. Neither my wife, nor my mother have any issues typing for hours (literally) on their iPhones.
I still have a little problem typing on glass as my fingers get sore after a while. For me, the Apple swipe keyboard is a real boon and I use it for everything now.
As a little aside, when I had the first iPhone, a couple of my colleagues had Blackberries. When they asked me how I knew if I received a new email, I said there'd be a badge on the app icon. They ridiculed it, because the Blackberry would flash a Red LED to indicate a new email.
Both of them are on iPhones now!
I seem to remember just after the iPhone came out someone made an accessory keyboard for it. It clipped onto the bottom, plugged into the connector, and you had chicklet keys. Unfortunately you also had a phone that was an inch and a half longer and somewhat fragile. Don't think they lasted too long.
to my knowledge, the BB phone does have multi-language KB and OS to match up. you can buy the unit in the respected region and OS came from the local carrier with corrected version (usually 3 to 5 month late than the NA OS release). I still has Arabic/English dual KB for BBOS7. However, I only uploaded english OS to save space. To say BB was not world phone is not accurate. IMHO.
That’s like saying a VW is a pickup truck with a built in hard cover. Look when I fold the back seats down I have a flat load bed. I can put bags of cement back there...
i wouldn't put too much weight on "lost signal" - few missing key factors: (1) BYOD - BB was corp device, when the corp controlled by MBAs, BYOD sounds excellent idea for cost cutting - wife/kids control the buying decision, not crop = compression to minimize date usage and security both were gone form the selection criteria. (2) FBI/CIA didn't like BBOS that not had backdoor to snoop at the time. Actively promote alternative OS is their easy say to achieve backdoor goal. (3) Patent troll and stock option got on Co-CEOs nerve and board eager to get rid of both under the mutural fund MGR - at the time, almost all funds sell by the bank own BB stock. The "smart" MGRs promote heavily "software only" model to optimize earning - currently, it appear to be the model of BB - however, those same MGRs moved far away from their model BB... (4) etc. etc. IMHO. Expire license is good. Half hearted effort should end. With corp switch to end BYOD (support too high eventually some CTO admit), BB still high in demand, just the current board or leadership dig too deep in their software only model heels. Unless, a second coming of someone like "jobs"? (perfect timing for 5G, new platform without baggage).
Losing the Signal is an excellent book. It has interviews will all involved, from the two leaders of the company, to the main seller at the time, Verizon, to major customers. There is nothing out there that’s more thorough, or accurate.
you're spouting nonsense, just your own thoughts as to what you want to believe.
Hmm, anyone in Lost signal admit it is their own fault to lead downturn... few finger pointing observed, but nobody admit he/she contributed land slide (outage was more to blame...etc. etc. timing is bad.. ). I rest my case. - interview only show the willingness to talk on the surface, but not the under the table dirt...
to my knowledge, the BB phone does have multi-language KB and OS to match up. you can buy the unit in the respected region and OS came from the local carrier with corrected version (usually 3 to 5 month late than the NA OS release). I still has Arabic/English dual KB for BBOS7. However, I only uploaded english OS to save space. To say BB was not world phone is not accurate. IMHO.
That’s like saying a VW is a pickup truck with a built in hard cover. Look when I fold the back seats down I have a flat load bed. I can put bags of cement back there...
Blackberries came with various localised keyboard layouts internationally, just like every other computing device.
The BlackBerry Curve and Bold series were released AFTER the introduction of iPhone.
The article makes ist sound like they were part of pre-iPhone history (which they look like, but aren’t — and that tells you all you need to know about RIM‘s inevitable demise).
Comments
Yes, exactly. With predictive text, autocorrect, etc, screen/software keyboards are quite good and usable, so the differences between them and a hardware keyboard start to evaporate. Screen real estate on the other hand can’t be compensated for by software. You either have it or you don’t.
The use of Apple devices for assorted classifications varies. Some have the wi-fi and bluetooth chips effectively removed, and those are media readers. Others have controlled access by both people and area of the facility that they are used in.
A resistive screen? What were they thinking?
After the first gen. iPhone was out, I was hoping the next iteration would give us a hardware keyboard option. I do remember reading a lot of reviews that also were hoping for one as well.
The thing is that, much like the mouse, USB, CDs, etc., Apple was taking everyone kicking and screaming into the next technological phase. My kids have absolutely no problem typing on glass. It is not just the next generation. Neither my wife, nor my mother have any issues typing for hours (literally) on their iPhones.
I still have a little problem typing on glass as my fingers get sore after a while. For me, the Apple swipe keyboard is a real boon and I use it for everything now.
As a little aside, when I had the first iPhone, a couple of my colleagues had Blackberries. When they asked me how I knew if I received a new email, I said there'd be a badge on the app icon. They ridiculed it, because the Blackberry would flash a Red LED to indicate a new email.
Both of them are on iPhones now!
Sounds like Bane from The Dark Knight Rises. He didn't want Batman to just die. He wanted to destroy Gotham in front of Batman's eyes - "And then, when Gotham is ashes, you have my permission to die"!
Android ended up in the commodity end of the market where the distinguishing feature is price.
This left BlackBerry, Windows Phone, etc in the mid-market which gets squeezed from both sides. This is where products go to die.
you're spouting nonsense, just your own thoughts as to what you want to believe.