Things seem to be going very well for BlackBerry (the company formerly known as RIM) as their brand new BlackBerry Z10 and BlackBerry 10 OS seem to be hitting home thanks to some extensive marketing, with a general buzz surrounding the new smartphones and OS.
Well now BlackBerry has heightened the desirability of the Z10 by announcing a super special red version, but unlike other exclusive colours (the white is only available in the UK at Phones 4U stores) BlackBerry has announced that only developers will have the option to get a limited edition red version.
What this means is that no store will be stocking the red smartphone at all and only app and software developers for BlackBerry 10 will be able to get the device exclusively from BlackBerry… or perhaps eBay!
The red devices were announced at the BlackBerry Jam in Amsterdam today, where the company announced that there will be 12,000 ‘hot red’ devices, all of which will have a unique serial number as well as the words ‘BlackBerry Developer’ engraved.
BlackBerry said that the red Z10’s were to thank developers for “all of the outstanding applications they have developed for BlackBerry 10.” So, if you are a developer then you have until February 28th to apply to get a Limited Edition Z10.
For the rest of us however, we will need to get in line and get pre-ordering the black or white versions of the smartphone to get our hands on one, and the demand may be a bit higher than most expected as reports are coming in that the BlackBerry Z10 is already selling out in some stores in the UK.
Revealing the sales information at the BlackBerry Jam event, European Managing Director Stephen Bates said:
“The response we have seen exceeded all of our launch partners expectations” and that “Our partners have told us that they have sold out in some of their key locations”.
The Z10 could be doing a lot better than some of its critics might have expected, and just after its launch weekend, Peter Misek, an analyst from Jefferies, backed up Bates’s claim.
The company states that “Some stores had line-ups out front with widespread sell outs of the White Z10 and limited stock of the Black Z10. Also, our checks indicate that pre-orders in the UAE and Canada have had a solid start.”
What this means is that the Z10 may be appearing in friends and family members’ hands a lot quicker than even BlackBerry expected, but if you were waiting to pre-order and get your hands on one you may have to move fast.