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BlackBerry Z10 India pricing draws widespread criticism

BlackBerry Z10 India pricing draws widespread criticism

By NDTV Correspondent | Updated: 26 February 2013 16:21 IST

BlackBerry Z10 was launched in India on Monday. It is the first phone based on the brand-new BlackBerry 10 platform (BlackBerry 10 OS review).

BlackBerry Z10 (Review) is powered by a dual-core processor that clocks at 1.5GHz along with 2GB of RAM. The internal storage available on the smartphone is 16GB. It has an 8-megapixel rear camera that can capture 1080p videos and 2-megapixel camera in the front. Z10 comes with 1,850 mAh battery, which as per the company claims, gives 10 hours of talktime and 312 hours of stand by time.

However, the company's decision to price it at a staggering Rs. 43,490 has drawn a lot of criticism. Right after the launch, Twitter saw #Z10, Rs. 43,490, 44K (an approximation of the BlackBerry Z10 price) and #thingscheaperthanZ10 trending across the country. Here are a few tweets that caught everyone's attention:

oh by the way, Rs 43,490 gets you living comfortably in Goa for a month OR a return air ticket to Europe OR Galaxy S3 + 100 bottles of beer!
-- Kaushal Karkhanis (@kaushal) February 25, 2013

Lava mobiles showroom costs Rs 43,490
-- Faking News (@fakingnews) February 25, 2013

BlackBerry Z10 for Rs 43,490 is giving tough competition to Bajaj Discover, Splendor and Passion. | via @v_shakthi
-- Tinu Cherian Abraham (@tinucherian) February 26, 2013

The response to BlackBerry Z10 pricing is reminiscent of the reactions Apple got when it released iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S. However, while India doesn't represent a crucial market for Apple (though Apple's new-found India love may signal a rethink on company's part), a strong showing in India and other emerging markets is critical to BlackBerry making a comeback.

Indonesia and India are amongst the few countries where BlackBerry has been growing over the last few years, and it is important that the company doesn't alienate its fan base here. For this, the company needs to introduce cheaper BlackBerry 10-based smartphones at the earliest.

BlackBerry Z10: In pictures

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