zocster: We need Vodafone or Spark to chime in. If it is within the note 5 range, it would work.

NikT:

zocster: We need Vodafone or Spark to chime in. If it is within the note 5 range, it would work.

No plans to range at this stage.

Too many dollars and too late in the year to fly in this market, unfortunately.

Totally want one myself mind you.

mdf:

Out of curiosity, what sort of numbers making a firm commitmwnt would you need to make this an officially supported handset?

NikT:

mdf:

Out of curiosity, what sort of numbers making a firm commitmwnt would you need to make this an officially supported handset?

Varies depending on the product.

If you're willing to buy 400-500 units at ~$1599 NZD, I will see what I can do.

mdf:

Thanks, I appreciate the reply. I can easily justify one (maybe two if she's not paying attention) but I think she'll notice a crate of 400 phones.

I can't help but feel that Blackberry has missed a trick with the price. The specs are good but not outstanding (and perhaps even only average), so I'm not sure the keyboard + battery (+ maybe security) justifies the price. Which is probably exactly the same calculus led to VF's decision. 

If the Priv/Android doesn't work, the future looks pretty bleak for BB. :(

NikT:

mdf:

Thanks, I appreciate the reply. I can easily justify one (maybe two if she's not paying attention) but I think she'll notice a crate of 400 phones.

I can't help but feel that Blackberry has missed a trick with the price. The specs are good but not outstanding (and perhaps even only average), so I'm not sure the keyboard + battery (+ maybe security) justifies the price. Which is probably exactly the same calculus led to VF's decision. 

If the Priv/Android doesn't work, the future looks pretty bleak for BB. :(

There's a lot of factors involved in ranging decisions. Consumer perspective is 'Why wouldn't it be sold in NZ if it's a good product?' but the commercial reality is that everyone has good products.

What's needed is co-operative marketing funds for retail training, dummy handsets, live demo units, TVCs, compelling gifts with purchase, preorder bonuses, and most importantly, to fund a handset to $0 on a given plan. Plans have a fixed subsidy, and the funding over and above that fixed subsidy has to come from somewhere.

Smaller brands aren't usually willing to invest in the NZ market - that's why you don't see many LG or Motorola handsets here by way of example. Having a good product isn't enough, even when it's strongly differentiated. Why would a telco pay to establish (or re-establish) any given brand when others are willing to do it themselves and everyone's selling premium Android handsets?

When I first got into the device marketing/portfolio management space I got excited at every interesting handset that jumped out, and while I'd love to bring a BlackBerry campaign to market, it would not make any commercial sense without serious support from BB themselves. Not least because - and here's the most crucial point - NZ consumers do not spend $1k+ on handsets without Apple logos (Or Samsung at a stretch) on the back at Christmas.

Has to be the right product at the right price at the right time with the right level of investment to fly, and this is at best only the right product.