At this point, many BlackBerry (BBRY) investors are hoping that its Passport device has what it takes to save the company. Of course, with the new smartphone only being on the market a couple of days, there is no way of saying for sure how things are going to work out over the longer haul.
BlackBerry Passport
Still, early indications are pointing toward success.
BlackBerry thumped its chest in a blog post published earlier today. Within hours of launching the BlackBerry Passport became the top selling unlocked phone on Amazon (AMZN).
Is it a big deal?
Well, on the surface, it wouldn’t seem to be. Still, as BlackBerry continues (emphasis mine):
“Customer demand drove the BlackBerry Passport to the number one selling unlocked phone on Amazon.com within hours of launch, which our partner told us is unprecedented.”
In other words, Amazon has never seen something like this. And Amazon has been doing this for a while.
There are many reasons for the early success of the Passport. For one, while its $599 unlocked price sounds expensive, that is a bit cheaper than the $649 price for the most basic unlocked iPhone 6 from Apple (AAPL), as well as some models from Samsung (SSNLF). On top of that, the Passport has BlackBerry’s cult-followed keyboard, 30 hours of battery life and the unique square screen to attract a variety of buyers.
Bottom Line
It’s a good start. Selling well on Amazon shows popularity in at least one corner of the world.
But the long-term success of the device will depend on boffo sales through service partners such as Canada’s Telus (TU), as well as longevity once the initial wave of BlackBerry diehards have gotten theirs.
In other words: Keep your eyes on the sales reports.
As of this writing, Chris Bibey did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities.
