BlackBerry flips out

Posted on September 30, 2008
Filed Under Phones |

BlackBerry maker Research in Motion (RIM) has released its first ever clamshell or “flip phone” model, the Pearl 8220, aka the “Pearl Flip.”

While industry wonks debate arcane technology standards, simple form factor is often a key buying decider for cellphone buyers. On its inital release, for example, Motrola’s Razr flip-phone was widely tipped with denting Nokia’s market share. At the time, Nokia had an all “candy bar” line up.

But BlackBerry fans have flipped out over the Pearl 8220 with a number of fan forums complaining about the handset’s relative bulk (it’s 107×60x15.5mm and weights 11g) and its failure to support 3G.

Additionally, now that RIM has finally got a flip phone to market, phone fashion has again moved on, with slider-phones (where the keyboard retracts) and all-screen models like the iPhone setting the trends.A second new model, the BlackBerry Bold, maintains the brand’s traditional candy bar form factor, and does support 3G – in fact the pumped up HSDPA (aka 3G Broadband) iteration.

And where the Pearl Flip has a narrow keypad, the wide-bodied Bold sports a full QWERTY keyboard. The Bold also adds GPS support and, like the Flip, wi-fi.

Both new BlackBerries are scheduled for October release.
Vodafone New Zealand external communications manager Paul Brislen says the Bold will be available here “within weeks” but that the carrier has no plans to release the Pearl Flip.

Brislen says it’s nothing personal against the 3G-less Flip; it’s just that the smartphone market is just too crowded here already. Parallel importers will be standing by to service those who don’t share that opinion.

Regardless of snipes against the Pearl Flip, the Canadian-based RIM steamrolls on. One in 10 phones sold in the US is now a BlackBerry, RIM says, with 5.6 million new subscribers added in the last quarter according to Gartner figures.

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