BlackBerry Panics, SLASHES Price Of The Torch, Its 'Best BlackBerry Ever' (UPDATED)

UPDATE: RIM has clarified that the price of the new BlackBerry Torch was not cut and that reports that it will not be selling for $99 are "inaccurate."

Reuters writes, "RIM, through a spokeswoman, said that Amazon.com has been selling the new smartphone for $99.99 since its launch on Aug. 12, following an "obviously ... common online pricing and promotional strategy that has been used with many other product introductions in the past." Carrier AT&T sells the new Torch for $199.99."

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The BlackBerry Torch 9800, trumpeted as the "best BlackBerry ever," seems not to have won over users.

The device, which has been available for only a week, is BlackBerry's first phone to run on the company's new BlackBerry 6 operating system. It is also the first BlackBerry featuring both a sliding keyboard and a touch-screen.

However, following several tepid reviews and lackluster sales (150,000 units were reportedly sold in its first weekend), BlackBerry has slashed the Torch's price tag in half--from $199 to $99.

Fast Company's Dan Nosowitz calls the move "surprising." Nosowitz also explains BlackBerry's tough position:

RIM may have the biggest smartphone market share in North America, but the Canadian company hasn't had a bonafide hit in some time--and that becomes a real problem when you consider the legions of huge-selling competitors, including the iPhone 4, HTC Evo 4G, HTC Droid Incredible, and Motorola Droid X. The new BlackBerry Torch, the first phone to run RIM's "revamped" BlackBerry OS 6, was supposed to be that device that revitalized the company, but it just didn't happen.

The Torch is selling for $99 on Amazon, Fast Company reports, but is still available for $199 on the AT&T website.

Take a look at the BlackBerry Torch's features here, and tell us what you think about the device in the comments below. Would you pay full price? Is it the best BlackBerry ever--and is that enough to compete?

Comments

[aphextwin07]

09:39 AM on 08/18/2010

to me, blackberries have always had the reputation of being for old, business execs that just want to send/read e-mail on the go. i'm not sure how they intend to win over the mainstream market considering what their core market is. still, 150k units on opening weekend is still good though, isn't it? its certainly only a fraction of the iphone's sales over the same period, but they are sorta marketed towards different audiences.

[kintarius]

09:18 AM on 08/18/2010

BlackBerry just doesn't appeal to the casual user. It's more of a business-user's smartphone.

I know I'm switching from RIM once my contract runs out in November. It's not any fun.

[Monrocsol]

08:46 AM on 08/18/2010

I am really sorry I bought a Blackberry. I should have stucked with my previous phone even if it was prehistoric.

[Kmuzu]

08:38 AM on 08/18/2010

I wonder if this does not have more to do with countries in the Middle East and Asia forcing RIM to give them the encryption code for their phones.

[gobamaaa]

08:01 AM on 08/18/2010

RIM's policy should forever be "keep it simple, stupid.". there is no point in trying to 'beat' the iphone on looks and features. the reason why so many people have blackberries is because of the basic functionality of it (and because of bbm). i don't understand the need to jazz it up with stupid apps, touch screens and sliding keyboards. if people want a device like that they should really just switch to the iphone cause nothing compares.

i personally think the bold is the best blackberry on the market and they should just work on improving that (faster internet is pretty much all that's missing in my opinion)

[anthonytaurus]

01:30 PM on 08/19/2010

I agree. I have a Torch but most of the features on it are novelty in my opinion like a bobble head toy - cute and fun to play with but unnecessary. I like the touch screen but I still use the trackpad mostly. I like podcasts but I can't exactly stomach watching something for more than 5 min holding a 3-4 inch screen. I'm not interested in surfing the web from my phone when I have 2 laptops, a desktop, and a broadband connection at home. However, it's good to have that ability on the go. The camera is good but I can't adjust the ISO nor switch to super macro mode.

My point is, these phones are forgetting that they're phones first. All these extra features are fun and convenient but unnecessary and mostly sub par compared to the options I have at home.

[Lapis 29]

07:46 AM on 08/18/2010

I am just grateful I can still pay $199 on the AT&T website for this phone!

Sure, I could pick it up for $99, but when you are talking about a top-flight, absolutely stellar customer service, company like AT&T I will gladly donate $100 of my hard earned money!

[I once had a Crysknife]

07:16 AM on 08/18/2010

Honestly I think the problem for RIM is one of innovation. People are starting to realize that they can buy an IPhone or an Android and make good calls as well as record high definition video, take great pictures, entertain themselves with fun apps and games, and have a real Internet device all in one pocket. The original iPhone did in fact change the market and RIM has had plenty of time to figure that out, but they haven't. Nokia with its N8 is in a better position to compete then Blackberry. RIM needs to make a phone that can do all of this and get developer support for things beyond business platforms. Otherwise they are finished.

[jabreal00]

09:38 AM on 08/18/2010

Or they need to stick with their core model and focus on business enterprise. iPhone and Android-based phones are try to figure out a way to encroach on the business customers. If they take their eyes off the one thing they are good at then they'll be in a world of hurt.

[I once had a Crysknife]

02:20 PM on 08/18/2010

Yeah, because that's working so well for them now.

[doneit]

06:03 AM on 08/18/2010

How will they make a profit by selling it at $99? It is a bold move that may get them a lot of subscribers. http://www.digitalundivide.com

[Haus]

08:39 AM on 08/18/2010

Because they charge corporate users for the right to link berries to exchange. And it is not cheap.

[vipes]

09:40 AM on 08/18/2010

And that's why I stick to the iPhone for now, since it has Exchange ActiveSync built in. I can't stand RIM's convoluted method of getting it to connect to Exchange servers. It should just be built in.

[Tyheem Thompson]

04:47 AM on 08/18/2010

The problem isnt the phone its the network that its on.....AT&T!!!! Bring to to Verizon and see how much the sales go up.

[bordway]

07:32 AM on 08/18/2010

Yeah, I think launching it through AT&T was a mistake.

[anthonytaurus]

04:00 AM on 08/18/2010

I love my Torch. Does everything I need it to and more. I'm sure the iPhone and Android can do it all as well. There's an app for everything for all of these phones. The real question is what can they do that the BlackBerry can't? What can't the BlackBerry do that they can? I thought the processor would be a problem. It actually isn't an issue. Phone calls are clear as ever and I don't have "dropped call" issues unless you count my friend admitting to his cheek hitting the button or my brother going through the tunnel. Messaging is breeze as always.

As far as AT&T, I've rarely seen anyone outside of an iPhone user complain about reception issues. I know every time I say that, non-iPhone users chime in to agree with me along with a few ppl who want to blame AT&T.

Seems the problems aren't with BlackBerry or AT&T but the perception of each. BlackBerry has to handle their marketing better. The Torch is a damn good smartphone that maintains the concept of "phone". AT&T can blame Apple for their reputation (since before antennagate). I think that's why they took away unlimited internet. They want to get rid of iPhone users and for good reason. Jobs has put form over function. Android is a great OS. I suspect that's why AT&T is offering another Android model in the Sony Ericsson X10.

[I once had a Crysknife]

07:26 AM on 08/18/2010

AT

[I once had a Crysknife]

07:42 AM on 08/18/2010

AT&T has the HTC Aria, Sony X10, Dell Streak and the Samsung Captivate all running Android. So their line up is getting more robust everyday with Android phones.

[ClassicLeft]

03:51 AM on 08/18/2010

Blackberry was once the best technology had to offer, and so was Palm. Right now they are last years technology, If they don't follow the trend they will become an "eight track player" really soon.

[neutrino74]

02:15 AM on 08/18/2010

RIM is in a world of hurt. They are lucky that they are the de facto standard in business and government. This won't last. The iOS is nearly as secure. Android has a ways to go.

The problem for them is marketing. They don't know who they are. They seem to still be making and selling phones for the IT department. The customer is now the end user. Apple absolutely nailed this. Android is a little fragmented but is working on it. The Droid seems to have found a main market in testosterone hyped young men. That is not a bad thing.

The ground is shifting under their feet. Large companies are now evaluating other options. There is a lot of pressure to give employees some choice. Once these evaluations end and companies start giving employees a choice of phones then it will be really hard for RIM to compete. They have a niche of core users that will stay with them, everyone else will go to something else. Life will be very hard when they see consistently dropping sales.

[AFireInside911]

01:27 AM on 08/18/2010

Ahhh, the best of both worlds, touch screen and a keyboard, too bad it's only available to AT&T....on that note.....NEXXXXXTTTT!!!

[TheHandyman]

01:23 AM on 08/18/2010

I guess I am just totally devoid of any further technological need. These are not phones, they are very complicated mini-computers. I do not need a mini-computer to be a calculator, I have a brain that can do all that. I don't need an alarm clock or a date book, I have a brain that remembers where I need to be and when and I can look at my watch to see what time it is. I don't need to type a message using my opposable thumbs when I can just call the person. I don't need to tell everyone within earshot at the grocery store, the Doctor's office, or the whole freakin' Mall all my business, you know the stuff that if we caught anyone deliberately eaves dropping on we would be outraged? All I need is a device that when someone really needs to talk to me about something important it pleasantly makes a noise and vibrates a little to let me know it and tells me who it is. When my contract with the worst phone company ever, ATT, runs out, I will buy a jitterbug! I have an exciting life, one I am fully and consciously participating in. I don't need to pretend my blackberry, Mephone, or a computer masquerading as my butler and confidant is the most important part of my life. It isn't, I am!

[Stephen Fazekas]

01:32 AM on 08/18/2010

well that thats sad. I my blackberry many times a day. I have a side business where is sell things on ebay. I use the my blackberry to edit my spreadsheets of inventory. I use its bluetooth connection to connect my laptop to the internet. I use the web browser to look up sales leads or a number with out using 411. I stream live music with pandora when i cant find a good radio station.

It combines all my work and personal email into one simple way to view all my email instead of logging in all over the place

But yeah my next phone will be a driod

[McLean M-Greaves]

01:35 AM on 08/18/2010

Are you a farmer?

[deepfreezevideo]

01:20 AM on 08/18/2010

The weekend before last I found myself connecting my camera to my laptop via Firewire and using my Sprint mobile hotspot to file a live news story.
This weekend our cable internet went out for nearly the entire two days and once again the Sprint mobile hotspot came to the rescue.
This alone makes it all worthwhile.