BlackBerry: No plans to release new BB10 phones in Japan

By Trevor Mogg February 8, 2013

It’s one of the biggest markets in the world for mobile phones but BlackBerry has decided not to launch its new BlackBerry 10 devices there.

While the BlackBerry brand doesn’t have much of a following in the country – its share of the mobile market currently stands at a measly 0.3 percent – the mobile maker clearly sees no value in investing in an advertising campaign in a bid to boost its profile in the Asian nation.

“Japan is not a major market for BlackBerry and we have no plans to launch BlackBerry 10 devices there at this time,” BlackBerry spokesperson Amy McDowell confirmed in a statement, adding “However, we will continue to support BlackBerry customers in Japan.”

For Japanese consumers, the iPhone is currently one of the most popular smartphones, with data from research firm Kantar Worldpanel Comtech showing that Apple’s device accounted for 66 percent of all smartphone sales in the country in the final quarter of last year.

BlackBerry launched its new BlackBerry 10 platform at a special event in New York at the end of last month. The first BB10 handset to hit stores – or at least, stores in the UK and Canada – is the all-touchscreen Z10, with early reports suggesting strong consumer interest. The phone will arrive in the US some time next month once carrier testing is complete.

The Q10 device, which features a physical keyboard, is set to launch in a number of markets in April, though US consumers may not see it until the following month.

Once the leader in the smartphone market, BlackBerry has fallen behind in recent years with the iPhone and Android devices coming to dominate. At the least, the Canadian mobile maker is aiming to secure third place with its new platform, a goal which will involve doing battle with rival Microsoft and its Windows Phone platform, among others.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Contributing Editor

Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…

Mobile

BlackBerry Key2 LE: Everything you need to know

The BlackBerry Key2 LE is back home at Verizon, but only for business types

BlackBerry Key2 LE Hands On

The BlackBerry Key LE is a lower-cost version of the Key2, doing away with some of the more high-tech features seen on the expensive sister phone, and cutting costs by using different materials for the body, to create a more affordable but still distinctly BlackBerry smartphone.

You can check out our Key2 LE review to learn more about what it's like to live with the phone, but in the meantime, here are all the technical specs, details, and availability options.
Updates
The BlackBerry Key2 LE is available to buy at Verizon, but only to business and enterprise customers, according to reports. Verizon's selling the Key2 LE for $450 without a contract, or for $100 if you sign up for a two-year plan. The phone does not show up on Verizon's non-business store, so there does not seem to be the option to buy the phone for this price without a business plan.

Mobile

You can pick up the Google Pixel 7 Pro for only $500 today

The Pixel 7 Pro with its display turned on, showing the home screen.

If you've been holding out on buying a new phone for a while because prices are still expensive, then you may want to consider going for one of the older flagship phones. For example, while the Pixel 8 Pro is out, the Pixel 7 Pro is still a powerful and viable alternative, and even better, it has quite a few great deals on it. In fact, you can buy a brand new and sealed Pixel 7 Pro from Woot for just $500, rather than the usual $1,100, and that's for the 512GB version of the phone, so you get a lot of storage with it as well.

Mobile

A new Google Pixel Tablet is coming, but it’s not what you think

Google Pixel Tablet on its charging dock.

It's been almost a year since the Google Pixel Tablet went up for preorder, leading many Android tablet fans to wonder when the inevitable Pixel Tablet 2 will arrive. A new rumor suggests that Google could release a new Pixel Tablet as early as next month, but it's probably not what you were expecting or hoping for.

According to @MysteryLupin on X (formerly Twitter), Google is planning to "relaunch" the Pixel Tablet without the charging/speaker dock included in the box. As you'll likely recall, the speaker dock is the Pixel Tablet's standout feature. You can use the Pixel Tablet on its own as a traditional Android tablet when you want, and when you're done, you throw it on the dock to transform it into a smart display. The idea of Google selling the Pixel Tablet without its claim to fame is an interesting one.