This past Friday the folks over at Engadget posted that a trusted source let them know that Sprint will be getting a CDMA Bold in the first quarter of 2009 to replace the 8830.
To that we say, heck ya!, but don't think for a second that's where the CDMA BlackBerry love for 2009 will end. Let's do a quick recap...
With the BlackBerry Bold being the successor to the 88xx series, you can expect the CDMA Bold (referred to by the codename "Niagra" up until this point) to eventually land everywhere the current 8830 is sold. Think back to CTIA last year with the launch of the 8330 Curve, and both Verizon and Sprint announced the coming of the device within 24 hours of each other. I wouldn't be suprised to see the same thing with the 9030. While the Niagra is a "Bold" it will have a slightly different look from its GSM-sibling. The CDMA Bold takes it styling queues from the Storm and Curve 8900 and with HSPA (yes this device has it) will be a true world phone. And like the 8830, once announced/released in the US to Sprint and Verizon it will make its way to other CDMA carriers (Alltel) and of course over the border to the Telus and Bells of the north.
The CDMA BlackBerry goodness won't stop with the Niagra in 2009. A CDMA Pearl Flip is on the way (codenamed "Apex" until this point - I'd expect it to hit as the 8230) and hopefully before 2009 is over we'll also see the new Curve 8900 hit in CDMA form (8930 sounds about right to me but I guess time will tell!).
Question of the Day: To any Sprint / Verizon / Telus / Bell customers reading this, which one of the above are you going to run out and buy first?!
[ Image via BGR ]
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98 comments
I switched from AT&T with an iPhone (their network is AWFUL here) i got the 8330 just to hold me over for the Storm. Had the Storm for 2 days and returned it. I HATED typing on that thing! Back to my 8330 now and can't wait for the CDMA and improved Bold!
I would love to get the new bold or the new curve 89xx. I would be happy to. I just wonder what's going to happen with this merger.
Definitely waiting for the Curve 8930
oh hell yes! i will also be waiting for the Curve 89xx
Same here.... 8930 is definitely what i want too!!
Finally an update on this phone! I have been patiently waiting for this since before the bold even came out. I see myself purchasing this phone on launch day to replace my Curve 8330!
I am looking forward to the release of the Niagara! Not liking the Storm at all.
I believe after some heavy thought, that I probably would pick up the new and improved Bold. Sprint is my carrier. I've always thought about the battery life on the Storm and figured with the Storm has touch screen compared to the Bold with qwerty keys that maybe the battery life would last longer on the Bold? What say you all? I'm curious.
I definitely want to pick up the CDMA Bold when it comes to Verizon. Just as something to switch to every now and then. The Storm definitely will stick around!
No Bold for me, I want the 8900 (8930). Small enough to fit in your pocket---big enough to use.
Small enough to slip in your pocket......Large enough to use.
Sorry for the double (tripple) post....the web hiccuped!
I'll be one of the first in line to get the Bold/Niagra once it hits USCC. I love my 8830, but would definitely take in the improvements they have made in the 9000 series.
THIS IS AWESOME ! BUT I WILL BELIVE IT WHEN I SEE IT . WE ARE ALL STILL WAITING FOR THE 8330 4.5 UPDATE FROM SPRINT , BUT IF THIS IS TRUE I'M FIRST ON LINE FOR IT ! BUT IT'S ABOUT TIME WE GET A NEW BLACKBERRY FROM SPRINT , AND I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THE 8350 EITHER ! LET US ALL PRAY ! LMAO
Iagree with what ROBROCKSTAR says about Sprint. After waiting for the 4.5 update that was supposed to be here in December '08' I'll have to see it to believe it. If it is true I'll be putting my order in for a Bold as soon as possible!!
Thanx!!!Come on Sprint let's goooooo ! get it done and do it right! , Sprint has some real blackberry lovers , but if sprint thinks they can keep this crap up ! they will be left in the dust by other carriers , if it hasn't happened already. the only thing between me and the BOLD is a 2 YEAR CONTRACT !I'm tired of checking every singe day i wake up for updates or new phones from Sprint , get your act together and show your Blackberry customers some love instead of just taking our MONEY !!! GIVE US THE DAMN 4.5 UPDATE ALREADY AND THE BOLD !!! THANK YOU AND HAVE A NICE DAY!
Actually, my family is looking out for the TMobile Curve 8900... we plan to switch away from CDMA for use of GSM and UMA features that BlackBerry offers.
I wanted a Bold but would not switch to ATT. The Storm will keep me held over until the Bold is out for Verizon. I hear they are keeping WIFI as well.
The Bold sounds good, but never held one. I'm sure it would be a nice upgrade from a Curve. Love my 8330 but the keyboard on the Bold looks bigger and easier to use. Will check it out when Telus gets them.
Bold to Curve difference is very close to the Curve to Pearl difference. A little longer, and about one row of keys wider, and maybe 1/2 ounce heavier. I put my Curve on top of the Bold and it is not much at all. Mb7E
Who wants to bet the VZW version will not have Wifi? Anyone?!?!?! lol!
Verizon + WIFI= Miricale!
No doubt about it. I'm going for the Bold. The only reason I'm not buying one now is because it's on AT&Ts network. Most of my family and friends are on Verizon. So to be minutes conscious I have to stick with Verizon. This is great news! I'm very happy with my Curve, but an update will be awesome as I feel that I'm outgrowing it quickly.
I'll get the latest, fastest and sleekest of them all... at the end of the summer BRING IT ON!
I am a little confused by all the code names. I was under the impression that the "Niagara" was a 9000 and 8900 mix, for CDMA network. small like the 8900, with a 3.2 camera, but like the bold in that its 3g(as all cdma blackberries are)
That's the problem with rumor mills. Everything I have seen that was from official sources said the Niagra was the 8830 replacement, which is not a Curve replacement. Even the photos have the frets between the keys (like the bold). The main difference with the Niagra is the form factor looks like it is a little smaller, sort of like it is using the Storm size-format instead of the rounded Bold 9000 format.
The CDMA Curve has always been the Jupiter (I think I have the code names right).
I was just getting ready to jump over to t-mobile for the 8900 but I just got a reason to stay....
I can tell you that I will definetely be one of those people who gets either the blackberry love or the 8930. I love my curve but I love the new blackberries also!!! I just hope the rumors are true and that they come the way of Verizon
You know, as a current 7100i user that has be DESPERATELY waiting for the 8350i to come out... this tidbit of info sorta changes things. I think i just might forego the PPT feature and hold out for this bad boy to come out!!
I read in BGR that it would be end of 1st QTR, anybody here/read something different?!?!?
1. This is all correct in-so-far as the 9030 and 8930 are concerned. The 9030 will indeed look slightly different than the 9000, but also incorporate three of the 8900's features: MicroUSB, 3.2mp camera and 480x360 display.
2. What we don't know for sure about the 9030 is whether it will include the 1 gig fixed on-board storage of the 9000. It probably will.
3. What we don't know about the 8930 is whether it will include the GSM/HSPA radios contained in the 9530 (the 9030 of course will). Unlike the 8300 series, it can fit these extra radios, so the only reason to not include it would be cost.
2. This leaves RIM and its CDMA carrier partners Sprint/Verizon with an interesting dilemma: Some very minor packaging/cosmetic differences aside (a millimeter here, a millimeter there), the 8930 and 9030 will be substantially identical except for (A) the 1 gig fixed storage and (B) potentially the GSM/HSPA radio in the 9030. Is that enough to warrant bothering with keeping two such similar models for sale? Clearly Sprint/Verizon need the GSM/HSPA capability, but then why bother selling the 8930 version without it, if they are otherwise 99% identical?
the size! i dont want a big ol' bold i want a small curve!
in #4, you say "Clearly Sprint/Verizon need the GSM/HSPA capability" why's that? they're a cdma company, they don't roam off of GSM or 3g data services state side, why do their phones "need" radio gear for something that they don't provide means to use for 99% of the population?
They need for it to be a "world Phone"
Don't forget the Niagra has a Bold-style keyboard, similar to the 8830 keyboard, but with frets in between. The 9530 will more than likely have a Curve-style keyboard.
My guess is the 9030 might have WiFi, along with the multi-band radios (making it a world phone like the 8830WE). The 9530 will probably not have as many features as the 9030.
The differences should be enough to have a high-end device (9030) and a budget-priced device (9530), both using the newer Blackberry look to them. :)
Bold or Niagra or whatever they decide to call it.
The one with the most Memory in the device. I'm already maxed out with internal memory on my 8130. I have a New Theme "THE HOUR GLASS" compliments of a low device memory.
I like the 8330 form factor best, so I'll wait for the 8930. In the mean time I'd love to see OS4.5/4.6/4.7 come out for the 8330 to tide me over. A big plus would be actual folder support for personal email, but don't see that happening soon.
Oh man and I just went out and bought myself the Storm (and I do love it) but I really wanted a Bold. Being a Verizon customer for life I didn’t have too many options when it came to getting my first BB. Even though the Storm is a very nice device I really like the option of a physical keyboard.
Before I got the Storm I really wanted a Bold, but being stuck on verizon I "settled" for the Storm. I absolutely love everything about the storm but something deep inside of me is really wanting this mix between the Bold and Curve for Verizon.
EITHER f'*&^ ONE! JUST GET IT HERE ALREADY!!!!!
the verizon version of the bold for sure....still havent been able to talk myself into buying the storm
I will also be not-so patiently waiting for the Niagara.
But my question...I keep seeing the codename spelled two different ways. Is it:
niagAra
or
niagra
I'm leaning towards a 9030, especially if it includes wifi, but I'll need to hold and use both phones to decide which I upgrade to.
personally, I'll vote none of the above.....I'll have to see specs on the bold but, if it keeps the keyboard that the GSM bold has, I'll probably not get it, I don't like the 8830ish keyboard, much rather have the curve style individual keys with some separation between them. However....if alltel gets it in april, before verizon takes over, I'll probably get it, regardless of how much I like it, just to renew my contract and extend the amount of time I save money over verizon's offerings....
pearl flip, not really all that intriguing to me, I'm hard on phones, and the "brick" style of the regular blackberries takes abuse easier than a flip phone can.
the new 8900 style curve....*shrug* it'd have to be a huge jump over the bold/storm cause I'm already plotting to ebay a storm before systems switch over regardless of if I get the bold or not.....
just my 0.02Â¥
I'm torn between the Bold & Curve 8900...which one do you guys think should be the one to get first??
I've been wanting a new bold for a while. While being jealous of my friend's Bold, I'm definitely going to go the 8900 route.
Sweet! This is gonna work out perfectly if it all comes true. I am eligible for a full phone upgrade price and rebates as of April 1, 2009. Thank you Sprint & RIM.
(This is probably the only way to get OS 4.5 or higher on a Sprint phone)LOL.
All depends on pricing.
I purchased a Curve in June 2008. I would need a serious reason to upgrade to a newer Curve.
The Bold would have to have similar or better features to the ATT Bold. wi-fi would be real nice
BB Bold!! I'd been contemplating whether I'd have to switch carriers to get it or not, but it looks like BB is showing Sprint a little love :-D
--Maven
I have been waiting for this for soo long! I will have to go with the Niagra(Bold 9030). Is it true that it will have WI-FI? The Niagra looks great! I'm soo pumped for this. Also, I agree with some of the other posts that WE NEED the OS 4.5 update NOW!