Report: AT&T to launch BlackBerry Z10 on March 22

[Shawn Knight]

BlackBerry’s Z10 smartphone will go on sale in the US on March 22 as the Canadian handset maker continues the rebuilding process. The phone will be available on AT&T first, although T-Mobile and Verizon are also expected to carry the device sometime this month according to unnamed sources as reported by Bloomberg.

To say that BlackBerry is counting on solid sales in the US would be an understatement as the region is responsible for roughly 20 percent of the company’s revenue. Most would expect the phone to launch in the US first but that wasn’t the case due to the fact that wireless carriers have longer testing period for phones than other countries. By the end of this week, the Z10 will have already debuted in 21 countries around the globe.

The handset received mostly favorable reviews among media when it was first unveiled. Unsurprisingly, AT&T, BlackBerry and Verizon were all mum when asked for comment. Sprint isn’t planning to sell the Z10, instead opting to carry the Q10 later this year. Unlike the Z10, the Q10 features a physical keyboard similar to older models that were once popular among consumers.

When it finally arrives, we know the BlackBerry Z10 will sell for $199 with a two year service agreement through Verizon. Pricing from other carriers is unknown but we suspect they will be in line with Verizon’s offerings to remain competitive.

Do you think the new wave of BlackBerry 10 smartphones have what it takes to propel the company into a major player in the wireless industry once again or is it a case of too little, too late?

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https://www.techspot.com/news/51879-att-set-to-launch-blackberry-z10-on-march-22.html

 

[m4a4]

"Do you think the new wave of BlackBerry 10 smartphones have what it takes to propel the company into a major player in the wireless industry once again or is it a case of too little, too late?"
Consumers can be fickle. We will know better once they start selling...

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

I don't see them usurping Samsung, Nokia and to an extent Apple any time soon but there's certainly a place for them. I hope they survive.

 

[psycros]

They really don't have a chance because the ugly truth is: they've learned nothing. Their response to the iPhone and Android domination? They made an OS that relies on Android developers porting their wares to an unproven platform. Yes, one could argue that the blackberry faithful (which really means the "keyboard and trackpad" power users) are still a substantial customer base. Pushmail, great battery life and straightforward operation have also been major selling points. Unfortunately the Q10 will debut without a trackpad, which means its useless to the hard-core BB crowd. A typical featurephone is now a better texting device than the OS 10 'berries. It also has a crippled implementation of ActiveSync which deletes messages from the server as soon as their deleted from your phone - there's no option to disable this. And since the default configuration doesn't use BIS there's no pushmail unless you actually use BES or Exchange, which means constant message checking, which means battery life no better than any other mobile device. Blackberry Inc has shot themselves in the head, not the foot. Sprint knows this full well, which is why their not even bothering with the Z10 and hoping they can sell a few Q10's to teen text-a-holics with poor motor control.