Back in September, BlackBerry officially launched the BlackBerry Passport after what seemed like months of waiting and teasing. The handset has proven to be quite a hit amongst its users and quickly sold out via BlackBerry’s official website. We suppose this could also be due to BlackBerry not ordering enough units, but regardless of the reason, it shows that there is demand for the rather oddly shaped device.
So how does BlackBerry’s CEO John Chen feel about the demand for the Passport? Speaking at Technologies that Matter forum in Hong Kong, Chen was quoted as saying that he was extremely pleased with the handset’s demand, and that he’s actually happy to be facing inventory issues. “I’m glad to have inventory issues. It shows that people want the phone.”
Chen also admitted that the company were a little reserved when it came to estimating the demand for the phone, which also attributed to the shortage. “We took a very conservative approach and didn’t order too many.” It is expected that come next month, BlackBerry will unveil the BlackBerry Classic which is a handset designed for old school BlackBerry users who might prefer a more familiar layout and design.
So, could the BlackBerry Passport be what helps propel BlackBerry back into the mainstream? Or do you think BlackBerry will end up carving out a niche market space for themselves aimed at the enterprise user?
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