Verizon Wireless quietly lowers the price of the touch-screen BlackBerry Storm 9530 smartphone to $50 with a two-year service contract. The price cut by Verizon comes as RIM gears up to offer the BlackBerry Storm 2, possibly as early as September.
In a quiet move to wrap up August,
Verizon Wireless is cutting the price of
Research In Motion's BlackBerry Storm 9530 smartphone to about $50, as long as
users agree to a two-year service contract.
Verizon posted the
new BlackBerry storm price on its Website Aug. 31. According to the pricing
scheme, the BlackBerry Storm smartphone costs $149.99 with a two-year contract
before Verizon adds a $100 discount for a total of $49.99.
The price cut from Verizon and RIM comes as both companies are gearing up to
launch the much-anticipated BlackBerry Storm 2. Several Websites have RIM and
Verizon launching the new Storm as early as September, although other
information has the smartphone coming in October.
The BlackBerry Storm was RIM's first touch-screen model and launched in
November 2008. At the time,
the
Storm looked to compete against the popular Apple iPhone, although a number
of other competitors,
such
as the Palm Pre, have also laid claim to the title of "iPhone
killer."
Rumors have circulated that
Apple
will end its exclusive deal with AT&T and offer the iPhone to a number
of other wireless carriers. For now,
Verizon
is considered the top contender for when Apple opens up the iPhone to different
carriers.
In the meantime, RIM is looking to put the final touches on the BlackBerry
Storm 2. Several Websites indicate that
the
Storm 2 smartphone will include Wi-Fi technology, as well as new
touch-screen technology. Right now, the Storm uses SurePress technology for the
touch-screen, while the Storm 2 could use TruePress technology, which should
make typing with the device much easier. Another new feature of the BlackBerry
Storm 2 should be a better camera.
RIM is also expected to offer a number of new smartphones later in 2009.
One
of the most anticipated is a device code-named Niagara, which has been
mentioned during many conferences but about which there is little known for
now.
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