In a marketing campaign I can only assume is some kind of meta-parody designed to go viral, BlackBerry is offering a so-called “Trade-Up” program designed to get iPhone owners to jump ship to the new BlackBerry Passport.
From December 1 until February 13, disgruntled iPhone owners can “upgrade” to the BlackBerry Passport and receive up to $400 for their iPhones, plus an extra $150 (or $200 CAD) from BlackBerry. To take advantage of the “deal” customers must pick up their BlackBerry Passports from either ShopBlackBerry.com or Amazon.
iPhones included in the offer include the iPhone 4s, 5, 5c, 5s, and 6 — which is ironic because it just misses out on 2010’s iPhone 4: a device that nearly half of UK BlackBerry owners earlier this year revealed they’d love to switch to if given the chance.
Perhaps the strangest thing about the entire “Trade-Up” offer is just how closely it mirrors a previous T-Mobile campaign carried out to get BlackBerry users to switch to iPhones.
A massive 94% of BlackBerry users reportedly traded in their phones for a different device during the promotion, which ultimately resulted in BlackBerry pulling its handsets from T-Mobile out of anger. BlackBerry CEO John Chen claimed to be “outraged” by the offer, and labelled it a “clearly inappropriate and ill-conceived marketing promotion.”
Guess it’s different when the shoe’s on the other foot, though?
If you are tempted to cash in your iPhone for a BlackBerry Passport, check out the below chart for how much you can expect to get for it.
Via: iClarified
Luke Dormehl is a U.K.-based journalist and author, with a background working in documentary film for Channel 4 and the BBC. He is the author of The Apple Revolution and The Formula: How Algorithms Solve All Our Problems … and Create More, both published by Penguin/Random House. His tech writing has also appeared in Wired, Fast Company, Techmeme and other publications.
13 responses to “BlackBerry will pay you money to ditch your iPhone”
Blackberry who? HEHEHEHE That would be a bad idea.
If their product is so good, why would they have to bribe customers to buy it? Microsoft tried this with their stupid Surface Pro. It didn’t work.
Funny how all these commercials and gimmicks mock the iPhone or compare with the iPhone, while Apple’s advertising just shows using them in every day life.
If you go to BlackBerry’s channel on Youtube you won’t find a single add that disparages or laughs at Apple or Samsung products.
But I must agree with you that Samsung does resort to mocking other brands, especially Apple. The commercials they aired when the iPhone 6 was released were pathetic… and designed to encourage others to behave like trols.
T-Mobile had a Promo earlier this year that paid T-Mobile BlackBerry users $200 to switch to iPhones… does your logic apply here or is it an exception? Why would you have to bribe BlackBerry users to buy iPhones?
all the attention bb is getting. haters are reducing in numbers
That’s just crazy talk. You’d have to be one bulb short of a pack to do that.
I have it and is a beautiful device. Having used iPhone and Android tablet..IMO BB10.3 is best OS. I like the concept of touch key board which also acts as a track pad for scrolling web pages, long emails and precise position of the cursor while typing. It was a pain typing on iPhone’s virtual keyboard. Central messaging Hub, consolidates all the Email, texts, BBM, calendar, FB, Twitter, WhatsApp all in one place. File system integrates to Box, Dropbox, Onedrive. Overall very satisfied with the device.
You must be employed by Blackberry. How much did they pay you to post this drivel?
Well, when I was using iPhone no one asked if I was working for Apple. This world revolves around Apple and its apps. Thanks for your constructive comment though!!
RIP Blackberry 2015. Luke is super cute.
Some people really like BB because it does do a good job with texting and messaging. But other than that, it is an absolute POS.
before iPhone 6 plus i missed the actual keyboard and was considering going back to bb but i couldn’t find most of my fav apps available for bb. now i’m addicted to iPhone 6 plus and it’s impossible for me to switch to even iPhone 6 or android phone