While many are excited by the release of BlackBerry’s first Android phone, there is one thing that bug everyone about the PRIV: the price tag. While it is the best former RIM can offer, for the fan, it is not enough for the fan to choke up $700 for the phone. Well, it seems like CEO John Chen is also having a second thought about the price tag.
In a conference call after the earning report, RBC Capital Markets’ Paul Treiber had a question concerning the pricing of the phone during its lifetime. The response from John Chen is rather interesting:
“Good question. So we have a model obviously, of pricing. I think the pricing will hold pretty strong for the next quarter in Q4. We already have seen some of the POs coming in. Especially in new introductions, margin is usually pretty strong. But I’m not — but you all know the market very well.
In about Mobile World Congress time, we will see introduction of new technology from our competitors. We have maybe a midlife kicker coming in around that time, but I expect ourselves to have to reduce our price to be competitive.
We do have some unique features at PRIV, as being well-received especially in the security world, in the privacy world. But we obviously won’t fool ourselves to expect that they will continue to maintain the high prices that we could get today.”-John Chen, CEO, BlackBerry
In short, around the time of MWC (Mobile World Congress), BlackBerry will be reducing the PRIV’s price in order to stay competitive in the period that major OEMs like Samsung, LG and HTC are expected to have some new hardware. Furthermore, the CEO teases the existence of “a midlife kicker,” but no further information was revealed.
So, if you are contemplating a purchase, I would hold off until February, and enjoy the saving.
Source: SeekingAlpha
Via: Phone Arena
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