No low-end BlackBerry 10 device this year
BlackBerry European MD Stephen Bates has said that BlackBerry is focused on making sure people see it as a high-end company first and foremost:
“We’ve brought out these high-end devices as a as a statement of intent – to demonstrate vividly the new BlackBerry,” said Bates. “Our intention is to evolve that portfolio to enter the mid-tier.”
“But we don’t see us getting to the entry level tier for some time; certainly not this year.
Based on the great sales we’ve had over Christmas in the UK there is a demand for the entry level BlackBerry and we don’t want to give that up so we’re going to continue with Curve and the entry level as we bring BlackBerry 10 down through the mid-tier and eventually into the entry level.”
It looks like BlackBerry is going to continue with a two-tier approach for the mobile OS for the time being.
UK and Ireland MD Rob Orr said that BlackBerry is seeing acceptable sales for BB7 devices, and the company isn’t looking to force them onto BB10 just yet:
“In enterprise the BB7 portfolio is the workhorse device; government, financial institutions… these guys are continuing to purchase BB7,” revealed Orr.
“And in the prepaid space we had a very successful run for Christmas.”
