Lots of BlackBerry device rumors this week! Following up on the Magnum / Driftwood / Onyx specs, the net got a little excited yesterday when SlashGear posted a story saying they got word the 'BlackBerry Storm 2' is in the works for Verizon for September and would have WiFi this time around.
BoyGeniusReport followed up the story a short time later, confirming that rumor and adding some more spice - putting out there that Storm 2 should have a new and improved touchscreen and that they heard RIM may be contemplating a name change for their touch technology from SurePress to TruePress (just to confuse everyone). A 5 megapixel camera could be in the works on this one too.
A few weeks back on CrackBerry Podcast 033 we did a big BlackBerry device rumormill catch-up, where we talked about Storm 2 (along with Magnum and Onyx as well). We had heard a while back that Storm 2 was going by the codename "Odin" though with so many codenames floating around now (and don't forget the Storm/Thunder antics RIM got up to with their first touchscreen) we wouldn't be suprised to hear it's now something different. We would be (pleasantly) surprised to see it launch in September though... but have a feeling it'll be later into the year or even into 2010 before it does.
Question of the Day: With the 'Storm 1' taking its fair share of beatings both by the media and owners of the device, do you think when 'Storm 2' hits that RIM should continue with the Storm name? Or should they start fresh and shed the controversial brand baggage and call 'Storm 2' something else?? Heck, maybe they should let Bono design and name this one. Drop your thoughts in the comments!
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162 comments
Sept release on the heels of the 9630 release? I have no doubt that there will be a Storm 2, but the timing is suspect. I'm with you Kevin a later release I'm even thinking LATE 2010, but we shall see.
Maybe they should UPDATE the first one!
Seeing as I just bought the first one a month ago I would be extremely upset if they bring out a revised edition. I hope they postpone it until atleast sometime in 2010.
Seems like it would be smarter to launch in 2010 when everyone that just got the Storm will be up for renewal. Plus, with the delays the first Storm faced, it probably can't make a fall launch at this point.
Why wait given if they did it near November every is available under the annual upgrade. Many folks are under the VIP so they get a discount anyways. I love my Storm but have started to miss WIFI. My Storm is not nearly as fast as my REV A XV6800 was. I have also thought about the 9630 Niagara.
I suggest calling it the Blackberry Reign...:)
Very Nice! ;)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwTZ2xpQwpA
relevant to my interests.
What a crock of BS. The first one has had serious issues and still does. Give us an update before you release a new one. Oh by the way if its coming out in Sept, get your name on the list now. Wait, list? Whats the difference its first come first serve! ---- No thats not right either, get to the store at midnight and get in the store only to find out they have to be ordered! Ordered? Oh yea there were none to order. Great job verizon!!! I love blackbery and always will but verizon on the other hand!!!!
If RIM/Blackberry release a Storm 2 within 1 year of the original, they should do a complete overhaul and recall the initial versions. With the amount of problems that have been reoccuring with the Storm and the frustration of many Storm users, users should be able to hand-in old Storms for this new and improved version. That is if they use the same name.
Agreed. Fortunately I have 10 or so accounts with verizon so I can push my "weight" around a little. I have no problem getting the full 2-year upgrade price after 8 months with a phone given I will go elsewhere if they want to hassle me. With that said, I feel they should (RIM or Verizon) at the very least offer the full upgrade price to existing storm owners given RIMs success at using us as paying beta testers (which is BS)
i think the should keep a store type name.
Typhone
Hurricane
tsunami
something like that
or change the storms name to the drizzle, possible downpour... something like that....
Berrycane
Blackstorm
Maelstrom
i like the typhone you suggested kinda like typephone,and typhoon
I think that they should call it Lightning or something cooler than Storm, especially since v1 has not been doing so good. That way people will not look at it so negative and would possibly be willing to give it a try.
Thanks
Why change the name? It will get better. If you change the name, why not change the entire design of the thing. If you are gonna cave, why not cave all the way. Also don't think this device is coming out in 2009. Probably in 2010.
WiFi support on the storm2 can only mean 1 of two things. Either this phone is not going to be on verizon as rumored (or sprint or any other cdma carriers, for it is a law of the cosmos that CDMA blackberries do not posses that which is known as wifi), or RIM and Verizon are actually aware of what their customers want!
You're right on the 2nd point. Verizon seems to be coming around. Take for instance, the Samsung Omnia. WiFi, 5 MP camera, loaded with features. Too bad its a Windows Mobile phone.
I think the blunder of letting the iPhone getting away from them is motivation enough to allow phones with wifi and more.
I am almost positive the new PTT Curve from Sprint has WiFi so it is not out of the realm of posibilities that a CDMA carrier would include it as a feature on a Blackberry
If you're referring to the Blackberry Curve 8350i, you are wrong. It does definitely have wi-fi, but it only has the iDEN radio in it. It's not a CDMA phone, it only runs on Nextel's iDEN network. It will not pick up a CDMA, 3G signal.
The PTT Blackberry on Sprint is iDEN, not CDMA.
That's BUNK a 2010 release would make me happy so I could upgrade, but if it hits in fall I would cry foul. I mean especially with all the glitches and having to run leaked software just to get the phone to perform well...average at best. They should have waited and gotten it right the first time.
the iphone releases every year....who cares about you and your 2 year contract?
buy a one year or buy it retail. it was your CHOICE to buy it for the subsidized price.
How about the rest of the world who were ineligible to upgrade before and want a phone for the end of the year??
RIM owes you nothing nor does Verizon. Bring it on YE 2009--an LTE version
Thank you!
carriers don't sign on with phones to cater to customers that feel shafted over their purchases....if they did, sprint/alltel would have sent letters to all of the LG AX260 (Scoop/Rumor) owners apologizing and offering them early upgrades due to them owning crappy phones....the storm has software problems but, at least they don't break if you look at them wrong, and all have terrible issues with both hardware and software issues
I agree as well, lets see this hit end of year '09 with CDMA/GSM/LTE/WiFi capabilities, I'd love to see a storm as one of the first LTE phones.....
I think it is good that Verizon is listening to their customers. With how the new iPhones get released each year, it does sort of make sense to bring out a new Storm after one year. It also shows that RIM is making improvements to the lineup.
One thing is for sure, the end-of-year release of the Storm probably helped out a lot with their Q4 earnings, especially having the new device out for holiday shopping. It would make sense (and probably good marketing strategy) to have a newer model out around the same time this year.
Both. Start fresh and continue with original name.
"BlackBerry BrainStorm"
I don't understand why people think VZW will owe them something if they do come out with a newer version on the Storm this year. I can understand your frustration for buying the device and then it's probably being replaced, but that's how it works. They don't care about your 2 year contract or the Storm you have now. Just like Apple doesn't care and keeps coming out with a new iPhone (and possibly a new one this year), RIM and VZW would have no problem coming out with another one. Whether you like it or not VZW and RIM just want YOUR money just like Apple and AT&T.
I say stick with "Storm 2". There is absolutely nothing wrong with my storm. Also I just hope the screen still clicks. That's on of the best parts about the Storm.
I love my Storm too. Haven't had any problems with it and I'm a heavy user. A couple other people I know have upgraded to it and love it too.
i say keep the Storm-name trend. call it something like Tempest.
and bring it to T-Mobile!
let keep it real and call it another disaster
Lets call it "The EyE". Just when you think the mess is over with, its about to start all over again.
thats the best one yet
Well first of all, there's no way RIM would be releasing a "Storm 2" in September. The first Storm wouldnt even be 1 year old yet! Thats waaaaay too fast of a turnaround. Anyone who believes that will believe EVERYTHING floating around on these blogs (which sadly is the case for a lot of ppl, lol). Of course there will be a Storm 2 someday (possibly 3rd or 4th quarter of 2010 if you look at the usual upgrade process), but not in September 2009...not buying it one bit.
As far as the naming goes: A lot of ppl give the Storm a bad rap, but I LOVE MY BLACKBERRY STORM, and have been since I got it back in January. Its a great phone (WITH OS .75) and will be even better once Verizon stops teasin and releases .113. That being said, of course you stick with the name "Storm."
www.twitter.com/BGeniusSports
Why is it so hard to believe? Back in August or September, I remember boygenius reporting on the Blackberry Storm 2, and this was months before the Blackberry Storm was out.... So, I don't see why it wouldn't/couldn't happen.
it would be in Verizon's best interests to have a better revised storm ASAP with all of the negative press the first Storm has been getting.
I don't know if anyone remembers the LG Voyager, it came out in November 2007, it had many issues blah blah blah, and they released an updated "titanium" version September the next year. No one seemed to notice they discontinued the original black version and now only offer the titanium.... If it was just a simple software upgrade, they could have kept the black ones and just flashed in the new software. It was an updated version of the LG Voyager, with new and better hardware.
If LG can do it, why can't RIM?
I have a Storm and have enjoyed using it and for the past couple of months. Yes it is not as smooth as the Iphone, so what it still works and is leaps and bounds better then the Palm that I had before it. But I do think that it would be in poor taste for RIM to release a new vrs of a phone that has not been out longer then a year. If anything they should be concentrating on releasing updates on ways to improve v1 of the Storm. I would be highly disappointed in RIM if they were to do this release.
i agree that they should be focusing on updates rather than on a new phone especially since the first storm and the second will probably run the same or similar OS's and there is ALOT of work to be done. Theyre probably releasing a storm 2 so soon because of all the complaints and bad press
New Storm???
Why not just an OS that works for the first Storm???
Very well said5d7H
This is why I got a 1 year contract. You had to have known that a Storm 2 was on the way.
one year contracts are key. and you can do an early equipment upgrade after 10 months.
Verizon should let it's current Storm customers upgrade to the "Storm 2" when it comes around for a small fee (maybe up to $100?) but not make us buy a whole new phone at $500+ plus again.
I mean, if it's got all that (WiFi, 5.0 megapixel, etc...) I'd want it bad. So...
Make it happen Verizon.
You know what I think is funny!!! We have yet to see a official release of updated software for the storm that is on the market. Yet there is already rumor of a 2nd edition of the storm. Come on! I think RIM and verizon needs to provide for there current customers and products. Totally bogus in my opinion!
The Storm was released around November 20th or so, they released an update for the OS on December 5th. And now VZW/RIM are working on releasing another OS update soon.
If a horse won't run then changing it's name won't change a thing. keep the name and improve performance what's so hard about that.
Apple makes one phone for one carrier. If or when they make the phone for other carriers RIM has to have an iPhone killer in place to avoid defectors.
This is my first BB and it functions like a PC. So I'm on the fence about BB's. RIM has to improve functionality, speed and performance before I consider a Storm 2 or "Odin" or what ever name they give this dieing horse.
frank
Part of my plan with Bell is that if I brake or lose my phone, they will replace it for $150. Does anyone know how flexable they are if I did "lose" it and wanted to replace it with the Storm 2? Would they do it for a few extra bucks? Ane what if the first Storm was discontinued?
I have that plan too. Unfortunately there will probably be enough repaired storms kicking around at the time they will not just give out the newer phone when the Storm breaks even if the Storm is discontinued and the Storm 2 is out.
On the other side of the coin you could probably make the argument that it is a discontinued phone but those warranties all state... at the discretion of the commpany blah blah blah
hahahaha :( But I like my horsy!