RE: Thoughts on the Q10
Globe says preordering begins for RIM's Q10 with keypad
2013-04-10 09:10 ET - In the News
The Globe and Mail reports in its Wednesday edition loyal Canadian BlackBerry users who refuse to give up their keypad will finally have a chance to upgrade to a newer version starting this week. A Canadian Press dispatch to The Globe says a number of retailers and wireless carriers across the country began accepting presales for the BlackBerry Q10 physical keypad smart phone on Tuesday. The handset is expected to arrive in stores by the end of the month. The new model, which sports both a keypad and a touchscreen, has been highly anticipated by some long-time BlackBerry fans. Both Rogers Communications and Telus say presales are under way for the device, but neither would provide a date for when the Q10 would be available. Bell will begin preorders on April 19. All three companies are selling the phone on a three-year contract for $199.99
The Financial Post reports in its Wednesday, April 10, edition that Research in Motion's long-awaited Q10 smart phone will be available for Canadians to purchase at the end of the month. The Post's Matthew Braga writes the BlackBerry Q10 will be the first device to incorporate RIM's renowned tactile keyboard. The BlackBerry Q10 was first announced alongside RIM's Z10 touchscreen device in January, and is regarded as the crucial second chapter in BlackBerry's most recent comeback effort. RIM revealed in its fourth quarter 2013 earnings report that it had shipped more than one million units of its Z10 smart phone. It debuted in the U.K. on Jan. 31, followed by a Canadian release on Feb. 5. Nearly two months later, AT&T and Verizon Wireless began selling the Z10 in the United States at the end of March. However, some analysts believe that RIM diehards may be holding out for the physical keyboard on the Q10. "It's iconic for them, that's for sure," said IDC Canada's senior mobility analyst Krista Napier. "I think at least here in Canada, there are a niche group of people who have been using the keyboard for a long time." Telus and Rogers Communication customers can preorder the device starting Tuesday.