I don’t think that too many people that follow Research in Motion would be surprised if we told you that AT&T would be the first U.S. based wireless carrier to offer the BlackBerry Bold which was just officially announced earlier today. We can expect to see the Bold ship anywhere from within the next several weeks to, more probably, the next several months.
For me, the book is still out on the BlackBerry Bold. Although I’ve heard that the keyboard may not be quite bad as that found on the BlackBerry 8800 series devices, those keys look awfully crammed together. I cannot wait to here some of the reviews on the BlackBerry Bold keyboard that will come out of WES this week.
Just like we know that AT&T often gets new BlackBerrys first, Verizon usually gets them darn near last. Research in Motion staggers development of CDMA versions of new BlackBerry devices often by as much as a year after their GSM counterparts. We’ve already been asked the question “When will Verizon get the BlackBerry Bold?” at least a dozen times. All that I can say with a fair amount of certainty is that it will be a while.
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{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
BS ATT gets Blackberry Bold…. VZW gets Blackberry OLD (Curve)
Wonder if AT&T will let us have it cheap by adding a line to a family share plan. Hmmm…
I’d take a Curve over that ugly brick any day.
What I’ve read is that ATT will probably delay the release of the BB Bold until the release of the new 3G iPhone, expected in June.
That makes sense…ATT will surely give priority to the iPhone in the release schedule.
The AP and others have reported that it will be released sometime in the summer, possibly fall. Personally, I don’t think that AT&T would tell a company/supplier such as RIM that they are going to postpone their release because of a competitor release. Bad business. And once TMO finally launches 3G to more cities, that will give RIM the option of selecting a different GMS provider in the states first dibs on their product. This particular launch of the ‘Bold’ is all about 3G on GSM (like the iPhone), which is the reason why they are regulated to AT&T in this case.
My guess is that this thing is droppin in the beginning of June, probably the first week or so! If memory serves me right, the Curve droped the same exact time last year!
The Bold is a super sexy device and sales will not interfere with the new $iphone at all! They both cater to different markets. I’m gettin one the day it drops on at&t, hopefully RIM really stepped up the build quality this time…
bluehorseshoe: I agree that ATT might not say explicitly to RIM’s face that they are timing the release of their new phone so as not to interfere with the new iPhone debut, but that’s what will happen.
The reality is that Apple gets total priority with ATT; there can be no doubt about that. All other vendors will know that by default and accept that.
ATT will clear the decks for the release of the next generation iPhone, and it’s not just getting competitors out of the way. It’s coordinating logistics, training employees, beefing up staffing, etc…and they do not want another major new release to interfere with this.
I actually think RIM would prefer to have their device released after the new iPhone, because if it is released just before it will get overlooked in the initial rush of excitement and buzz for the new iPhone.
So it would probably be a win-win for the Bold to be introduced a little while after the new iPhone.
I think you have it backwards “Thought”…I think that glorified ipod would get overlooked if the BOLD was realeased along side the iphone!!! RIM+BlackBerry Kicks A**!!!
Cumulative BlackBerry sales across all carriers may rival or even exceed the number of 3G BlackBerry sales on AT&T, however, the release of the iPhone will be a marketing and mass media event unlike anything that the BlackBerry could ever hope for.
Trust me, AT&T isn’t prohibiting employee vacations because of the BlackBerry Bold.
I admit that I bought an iPhone day one last June and have been somewhat underwhelmed. I have to say, however, that it was not because of any lacking in the marketing machine that is Apple.
Thought is absolutely right, RIM won’t mind at all if AT&T releases the BlackBerry Bold after they release the next iPhone. As much as I love the BlackBerry, RIM cannot out Apple Apple.
Until the release of the BlackBerry Thunder!!! MWAHAHAHAHA