BlackBerry Thunder, the touchscreen BlackBerry we’ve all been waiting for
Since we were the first ones to break the news about a touchscreen BlackBerry device, it’s only fitting that we follow up and give y’all the real lowdown on it! This is going to excite a lot of people, but anger many. Are you ready? The BlackBerry Thunder, as it is codenamed now, (all you "reporting" on it as the Storm are incorrect) will launch in Q3 of this year. It is a full touchscreen BlackBerry — no slide out keyboard — with only 4 physical keys. Those are the send / end phone keys, the BlackBerry menu key, and the back key. Here is the most interesting part, though: it will launch as a worldwide lifetime exclusive on Verizon and Vodafone! We’ve heard the unit will be a hybrid device with CDMA EV-DO Rev. C (for clarification, Rev C., known as UMB is practically dead. If the device will indeed launch with a 4G solution, our bet is on LTE), and GSM HSPA for traveling internationally. Verizon and Vodafone will have the same unit. Currently, the model number is the BlackBerry 9500, though it’s very early and that’s likely to change. This is HUGE for the Verizon lovers. For once they’ll get an exclusive device, but Verizon will have a sales quota for the device and if they don’t meet those numbers, we’ve heard the exclusivity will then dissolve and it’s over. This will be extremely interesting to see play out.
P.S. No, you morons, the image above is not real. Didn’t we go through this once before?
P.P.S. For futher clarification about the whole LTE thing, the chip might support it, but that does not mean the network will be ready by any means…OK?
I’ll stick with my physical keyboard, thank you
If the “Thunder” is launching 3Q of this year … And we’re only 6 WEEKS from its start … Where are all the leaked shots of the groovy new UI?? With the 1-Yr+ it takes Verizon to test hardware before launching, something seems amiss here.
Why don’t they use the Palm solution – a physical keyboard for typing but with a touchscreen that allows for dialing phone numbers with your fingers rather than having to pick out number keys on a tiny keyboard?
The touch screen looks cool, but (for me anyway) not very practical for heavy day to day use. I’ll have to pass. I understand why they (RIM) did it; seems that’s where everything is headed. I’ll just remain a knuckle dragger with my T9…
Jeff C, that’s because BB users and HTC users don’t need to pull their phone out of their pocket and place it on the bar to feel cool…they already are! The only reason to buy the iPhone and lay it on the bar is to “show off”…my study would be to see how many I could snatch and hawk on ebay!
Amen…
I’m interested to see how this pans out. The more competition the better. I say that cause more and more compaines can’t afford to bring crap to the market, if they do we’ll just go some where else, and get what we want.
It depends on the price point and contract requirements. Verizon subscribers want/need an exclusive high end phone to go with the network but if it’s too costly or if the contract obligation is not reasonable then I think ppl will stick with their current device, at least until the price comes down.
Sigh… I am a blacberry fan, but not a VZW fan. VZW will lock this up tighter than ___, you get the picture.
Lifetime exclusive on Verizon?
I’ll believe it when I see it.
Verizon blows. 35 comments and not one in favor of them.
Got damn, RIM. Get a clue. Verizon is the Palm of the cell providers.
What I’m most curious about is whether this announcement will serve enough of a carrot to prevent folks from dumping their BBs for iPhone 2.0 with Exchange support.
Yes, yes – I know, physical keyboard, blah, blah, bliddy blah. But obviously, RIM thinks there’s a market for a BB with a touchscreen keyboard. For those folks who can live without the physical keyboard, all other things being equal, do you grab the new iPhone or hold on for the Thunder?
I have met with all carriers including RIM and Verizon has never been the springboard for new RIM devices. I call a BIG BS on this.
Sales quota?
I would love to see what they are. I highly doubt that it will be anything close to the iPhone launch.
But is a welcome addition to the iPhone killer war.
Well played… I guess I did not think that one through.
Although, I do not believe a single Blackberry is not technically a fruit. I believe they are called Blackberries are an Aggregate Fruit and are only considered a Fruit when multiple berries (or drupel-somethings) share a single stem or plant.
I could be wrong. It has been a long time since I took a Botany course.
In response to Rev,
I think that if RIM’s gui is up to the task (as I expect it will be) then I think you’d be surprised how many people would drop an iPhone for a BlackBerry. If you walk into an AT&T store and ask even the reps, their biggest request has always been a touchscreen BlackBerry.
Think about it. While the iPhone may be cool, it’s not practical. It doesn’t have the push services of BlackBerry and, more importantly, is a bit limited when it comes to entering the corporate world. On top of that, BlackBerry just has the reputation of that you know it works for everything.
So, a touchscreen BlackBerry with the right specs? I don’t think Apple would be blown out of the water, but I think it’s a safe bet that they see that they’ve entered the big leagues. This isn’t like their iPod, whose success I still think is mostly due to the fact that there weren’t any other products out like it when it came out. This is an industry where Apple is competing against the Big Boys of the industry and they will see how hard they can hit back.
Actually, I have a BB pearl on VZW and can say there is little difference between my phone and versions on ATT/Sprint/TMO. Verizon may screw with other phones, but doesn’t cripple blackberries.
Makes sense given AT&T has an exclusivity deal with Apple on the iPhone for a few more years…they wouldn’t want another touchscreen device to compete with it directly. Would be interesting indeed…RIM makes some kickass phones so maybe will give iPhone a run for its money
If its true that exclusivity depends on total units sold, I’m betting verizon will be more lenient when it comes to locking down this phone, and I bet the price will be quite attractive.
And when it comes to blackberry’s Verizon has only locked out the GPS, so all you haters out there, suck it. Unlike AT&T, you actually CAN browse the web on Verizon’s network with speed.
Verizon has the most reliable network and best customer service, so if this truly is going to be exclusive, I’m sure it will sell well.
I think some of you underestimate the power of competition and the power that Vodafone has worldwide when paired with Verizon Wireless in terms of sales.
First of all, we don’t know what Verizon will do to this device, if at all so I say let’s wait for more information before getting our panties in a bunch. Verizon has surprised us before.
FIM isn’t going to launch this device exclusively with AT&T since they are already going to be selling the Bold and the new iPhone.
Hopefully, the carriers will compete on price and offer up incentives galore.
I use T-Mobile and I’m not a huge fan of Touch Screen devices, but I’m still excited about this device and look forward to hearing more details as the release date gets closer.
As a keyboard fan myself (my only real objection to iPhone) and a fan of CDMA (Qualcom) voice quality on Verizon, I only hope, no pray, for the BB 9000 (Bold for AT&T and obviously another name for Verizon to address the exclusivity of the Bold for AT&T) for VZW. I just got the 8330 on Friday and the 9000 is the device I REALLY want!!!
And, I want a Mac Desktop software package!
that’s mu $.02 worth.
The iPod’s success was definitely due to a super slick UI and savvy marketing, plus iTunes integration. It was far from the first mp3 player to market (but honestly, who can name any of the payers that beat it to market?). That’s why the iPhone is poised to CRUSH this blackberry touch. Apple has a patent on their multitouch interface, and you can bet that whatever RIM has is an inferior, catch-up solution. Plus People already know, ue and enjoy the iTunes store because of their iPods, which means that they are already tuned into Apples killer app, slick content delivery.
Seems the haters are always the loudest. When the iPhone came out folks were screaming about how much they hate AT&T. Now there’s a potential exclusive for Verizon so lots of anti-Verizon screaming.
I’ve used Verizon for 3 years now and their service has been way better than I ever had with AT&T. And their Customer Service has always been exceelnt.
Lastly, as CrownSeven pointed out, VZW’s BBs still runs BB OS and have all features other than GPS. So if this is for real, I’m IN!
WickedRabbit – good points, all.
However, the push e-mail issue may be mooted come this July when the iPhone gets Exchange support. I’m not saying the iPhone will then be on par with BBs from an e-mail standpoint, but the gap will be MUCH closer, no?
I think what will make or break the Thunder will be how well it does things OTHER than e-mail. IMHO, we don’t really need a large touchscreen for our e-mail. We need it for the multimedia – the web surfing, the image and video viewing, the music browsing.
If RIM rolls out a large touchscreen but keeps using second (or third) tier multimedia apps, I’m not sure how successful the Thunder will be.
Except Verizon has a few more customers than Palm.