BlackBerry Q10 May Be Delayed in the U.S.
There are a couple of reasons that BlackBerry loyalists continue to stick with the devices, even with better iPhone and Android options available. One is BlackBerry Messenger, which people still love (some, in fact, wish BlackBerry would bring the service to other platforms). Another is the hardware keyboard, which hoards of other devices have tried to incorporate, but have failed at making the keyboard feel as good. The BlackBerry Q10, one of two new phones BlackBerry is launching with the release of its BB 10 operating system, incorporates the tried-and-true keyboard that fans of the devices swear by, and it would likely be a popular choice for those who aren’t interested in touch-only phones.
Unfortunately, some bad news came today as it relates to the BlackBerry Q10 and its U.S. release. While other countries will get their hands on the new device in March or April, customers in the United States could be forced to wait until May or June to enjoy the keyboardy goodness the Q10 is offering.
It’s a shame, because early results in Canada seem to indicate that the new BlackBerry phones might be well received. The Z10, which is the touch-only smartphone that BlackBerry plans to release, has sold out of its white model, and the black model’s stock is moving quickly, too. Canadian wireless carrier Bell reported that pre-orders of the Z10 surpassed those of any previous BlackBerry device on its network.
“We’re seeing intense interest,” said Bell spokesperson Mark Langton.
In the U.S., of course, iOS and Android are far more established, and BlackBerry has a tougher road ahead of it to knock these two rivals out of the first and second spots in market share. Apple owns over half the market, with Android close behind. Windows Phone has a small fraction of the market — somewhere around 3.6% — while BlackBerry devices have fallen to around 1.6%. Clawing back from last place won’t be easy; everything needs to go right for BlackBerry. That’s why any delay in the release of its new BlackBerry 10 devices hurts. The more people have to wait, the more they might be enticed by newer, flashier iPhones and Android phones.
Do you plan on getting a Q10 when it’s released? Would you wait until May or June to get it? Let us know.