Research in Motion co-CEO and president, Mike Lazaridis, did a Q&A session with Laptop Magazine’s Mark Spoonauer recently and had some interesting things to say on the future of the BlackBerry, 3G, Wi-Fi and more.
You can read the entire Q&A here, however, I would like to comment on the last question and answer.
Q: What can we expect to see from RIM for the rest of 2007? Are there CDMA versions of the Pearl and 8800 coming?
ML: One of the great things about the BlackBerry is that because it’s a Java environment, it really allows us to quickly port the BlackBerry experience to other devices and to bring along with that a very high level of fit and finish. We’re not having to re-debug the applications. That allows us to very quickly put out new products. We have a really great relationship with the CDMA carriers, and we’ve launched very successful products with them, so I wouldn’t be surprised if we have products coming in the future.
<RANT>As I think about it, ML’s answer here ticks me off.
If it is so simple for you to port applications over to a CDMA platform, why does it take you 9 to 12 months to do so? Verizon BlackBerry subscribers are some of the most addicted, loyal, fanatical BlackBerry users out there. If it is so easy for you to give us our fix, for goodness sake, why don’t you?
Most Verizon users don’t complain about the annoying “Can you hear me know commercials.” We generally don’t up and leave Verizon on those few occasions when we drop calls and our friends with brand new BlackBerry Pearls or 8800s ask “Where is your network now.” We simply pay 1/3 more than everyone else does for wireless and BlackBerry service and think that it must take a force of nature for you to port over to CDMA.
It is ticking me off to know that porting over to CDMA can be quickly accomplished because you don’t have to “re-debug” everything yet it still takes the better part of a year for me to get new gear after everyone else has it.
Verizon, I am ticked at you too. Do you view Verizon BlackBerry users as peons so loyal to your network that you can make us wait to get the new gear because you know we aren’t going anywhere. There is probably some truth to that, but the big boy up on Waterloo is making it obvious that a bit of pressure from you could possibly speed up the 9 to 12 month lag time.
CDMA isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. 3G with the Verizon type coverage is still 3 years away at least. If you want to standardize on GSM, fine. Just don’t tick CDMA users off by telling them how quick and easy it is to port over as you make us wait almost a year to get the new gear.</RANT>
You act as though the delay is all RIM’s fault. The carriers need to test and debug firmware’s, negotiate pricing, etc.
Honestly, if CDMA users are so upset that they get products a year late, move to a GSM carrier.
Robb: as more often than not, I totally agree with you.
It would be fascinating to know the real reasons behind the time lag from GSM to CDMA release for any given BB device.
One good thing: if the rumors are true, the CDMA BB 88xx will be out in May or June, “only” 3 or 4 months after the GSM release, instead of about a year. That is a huge improvement.
Robb, you are justified in your frustration. When a company exec comes out and outlines how simple it is to do something, you have to question why it takes so long for it to actually happen.
I’ll take your gripe one step further – if its so simple, why not bring GSM and CDMA devices along in parallel? Obviously because one of the carriers will pay extra to have exclusive rights to a device for a period of time. But that still doesn’t answer why they usually wait until a GSM device is being shipped before turning their attention to a CDMA device (or vice-versa).
I would agree with the above concerns. Does anyone have any more recent information on when Verizon will present the 8800 on their shelves. I can afford to wait a bit to change over to them but only to a point.
Where did you hear the rumor about Verizon having the 8800 in May or June?
So does that mean I should not take advantage of Amazon.com’s sale of Blackberry Pearl’s for $.01 b/c I will be able to get one from VZ sometime soon? I need a BB and want the Pearl (I like the size and don’t have a preference for the QWERTY keyboard). I like VZ but don’t want to wait for nothing.
Well Ned,
It really depends on how bad you want to stay with Verizon. They will eventually come out with Pearl like device but I am sure that it will cost more than a penny. At least initially.
Let’s all just accept the fact that it really doesn’t take an extra year to port RIM technology to CDMA. Exclusivity with a carrier amounts to big bucks for the handset guys and is evident everywhere in the business. Remember the initial roll out of the 7100? Hottest item out from RIM in years yet it was only available from T-Mobile initially.
Look, folks usually stick with Verizon for the technology and support. It’s far superior to anything out there and Verizon knows it. By not paying for exclusivity, they’re able to put more $$$ into infrastructure and for that I am grateful. However, I’m with Cingular right now because I couldn’t wait for the 7130. Even though I’ll be back after being in Cingular hell for two years, I was willing to make the jump in order to get the phone I wanted when it was available. There’s got to be some business justification Verizon management can make in order to spend a few bucks on an initial introduction of new handset technology when it makes sense and I think it makes sense to protect the loyal Verizon BB customer base.
Yep, I dumped Verizon for Cingular a loooong time ago because their stinkin’ phones wouldn’t work in Europe. ML has nothing to offer but weasel words to apease the CDMA masses.
Okay, I don’t have a comment but I do have a question and since I’m a fledgling looking to buy a BB and you all seem quite knowledgable, I want to ask you all to make sure I get the right one. The 8830 is a CDMA/GSM phone so when they talk about porting the BB Curve over to CDMA for Verizon, does that mean they will get rid of the GSM feature altogether? I like the silhouette and the camera feature of the curve but I’d also like a GSM phone and since I’m on Verizon, I was wondering if I should wait for them to come out with the curve or should I switch carriers.