Brian Feener

The Blackberry Bold got pushed back (video) to September ‘08 and I have the reason why!!

I think that with the popularity of the iPhone in the US and RIM’s CEO Mike Lazaridis being what we in hip hop call a hater, Blackberry is trying to hedge it’s bets.

I believe that you will see the BB Thunder/Storm released in the same breath as the Bold.

RIM will try to flood the market with multiple phones to give users the option to 1) switch from their current phone to a “safe, buttoned” experience; or 2) an alternative to the locked-down iPhone.

Personally, I want Thunder to be released yesterday.  I’m not willing to give up my $100 new-every-two credit to go to AT&T and their weak singal in my apartment.  And while the iPhone is really cool, I don’t like the idea of having everything locked-down like Pelican Bay.

Objectively, I dislike the marketing strategy.  If RIM is looking at the *buzz* that Apple got with their phone’s release and is looking to duplicate the feat, it’s not going to happen.  Part of BB’s strength is that the phone is really utilitarian and appeals to a very functional purpose - to feed Crackberry addicts.  While the company may earn the front page (or egad! the biz section) of the comic book known as USA Today, I can’t see this device generating the same 2hr lines that the iPhone did.  (After all, most BB users have jobs!  ZING!!!  ..heh - I’m getting a little punchy today!).

For the comments, why do you think the Bold got pushed back?  Was it a technical reason?  Was it a marketing reason?  Was it something else?  Conspiracy theorists, unite!!

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