Research in Motion Ltd. (BBRY): No Cheaper Phones Coming, Yet

Research in Motion Ltd. (NASDAQ:BBRY) took a chance when it introduced its new BlackBerry operating system in the Z10 smartphone and put it forth as a premium-priced phone along the lines of the iPhone 5 by Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) and the Lumia from Nokia Corporation (ADR) (NYSE:NOK) and the Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) Windows Phone operating system.

But in the recent trend among several smartphone firms has been to introduce lower-budget phones that will meet the bigger segment of emerging markets like China, India and Brazil. There is talk that Apple, considered the king of the high-end smartphone market, might be ready to roll out a cheaper version of the iPhone as part of its strategy to grab hold of the Chinese smartphone market, which CEO Tim Cook has specifically addressed in recent public comments on visits to the country. In that vein, with Research in Motion Ltd. (NASDAQ:BBRY) mired in a distant third-place market chase with Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) and its Windows Phone OS, there is a thought process outside of BlackBerry that perhaps putting out a cheaper phone would help BlackBerry get in front of more buying eyes in many worldwide markets, thus improving the company’s chances of revival.

However, if one considers the words of Research in Motion Ltd. (NASDAQ:BBRY) CEO Thorsten Heins seriously, one may likely thinkt hat the company has no plans to jump into the low-budget smartphone war – at least not right now, with its flagship device not even in all of the major world markets yet (it’s due to launch in the U.S. later this month). Heins said recently at a conference in his home country of Canada, “You will not see us getting into the $50 or $60 phone segment. This is not BlackBerry. That segment will not serve our purpose.”

Well, that’s that. Or is it?

Heins seems to be saying that only because reports right now have the Z10 performing well in emerging markets like India, where a cheaper handset would likely be designed for the masses. However, Research in Mtion Ltd. (NASDAQ:BBRY) does have a grand master plan for the BB10, which Heins admits may include some lower-priced phones. “You will see new products being launched this year based on BlackBerry 10 that are more geared towards those lower price bands.”

By products, what do you think Heins means? Will there be new handsets, or perhaps some services that will complement the operating system? How do you read Heins’ words in terms of the future of Research in Motion Ltd. (NASDAQ:BBRY) – er, BlackBerry? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

DISCLOSURE: I own no positions in any stock mentioned.

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