September 16, 2010 in BLOG by sam

BlackBerry Torch Sales Not Exactly on Fire

Although AT&T’s official statement is that it’s “pleased with Torch sales so far,” a company executive dropped a hint that the new BlackBerry smartphone isn’t exactly lighting up cash registers around the country.

Speaking at an event in Seattle Wednesday, Fred Devereux, AT&T’s president of wireless operations in the West, said he was “surprised there hasn’t been a faster adoption” of the Torch since it went on sale last month, according to Electronista. Devereux said he thinks the Torch is the best BlackBerry yet. He didn’t give any actual numbers, but his disappointment coincides with analysts’ estimates that the retail fervor for the device declined quickly after its launch date.

The reasons for the struggling sales come as little surprise. Devereux acknowledged the fast uptick in Android device sales and the continued popularity of Apple’s iPhone.

BlackBerry still seems to be dogged by the fact it’s most closely associated with business use, and even that sector is faltering for parent company Research In Motion, which has watched businesses become more and more flexible with which smartphones they allow employees to use, opening the door for iPhones and Android.

News about slow Torch sales counters what we heard two weeks ago, but that was only three weeks removed from the launch.

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