Why no high quality QWERTY phones?
arhl2011
Enthusiast - Level 1

The last quality QWERTY phone offered by Verizon was the Droid 4 about 4 years ago. Since then a couple other QWERTY phones have come out, but at best they've been side grades to the Droid 4. Why hasn't Verizon offered a new slide out QWERTY phone for us to upgrade to? I can't stand the touchscreen phones and my Droid 4 is finally starting to have issues, but not only is there no decent upgrade option, but there is absolutely NO upgrade option that includes a QWERTY keyboard for android phones.

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Re: Why no high quality QWERTY phones?
sprmankalel
Champion - Level 3

Physical keyboards equal more money to build, more moving parts that can wear out and break and more problems in general.

Here's what. It isn't that VZW isn't offering good quality QWERTY devices. It's the manufacturers not producing them. They never sold well and the manufacturers were losing money. You know 6 people that would want it. Would you and those 6 people be buying a device every year when they're released? At any given time I can go to a party with at minimum 75 people. Not one has a QWERTY device. I am not saying that you're wrong but the market is not there so device manufacturers are not spending the money to make them and support them when the keyboards malfunction.

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Re: Why no high quality QWERTY phones?
MiiHere
Champion - Level 3

It's just not the style everyone wants to have. They are bulky. If you like the keyboard type phones I'd look into getting a Blackberry.

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Re: Why no high quality QWERTY phones?
arhl2011
Enthusiast - Level 1

I disagree that it's the not the style people want. I see posts about it all the time and I know a half dozen people who want the qwerty slide out as well. The problem hasn't been demand. It's been supply. As I said in my post there hasn't been a good, competitive option since the Droid 4. So people have either had to settle for a phone that doesn't have QWERTY b/c one wasn't available or they've switched to a non-QWERTY b/c what was available was outdated. We know they're a little bulkier, but that's part of the trade off we make for wanting one. The blackberrys aren't a reasonable option since the keyboard takes up half the screen. It kinda defeats the purpose of having a smartphone.

Re: Why no high quality QWERTY phones?
Genserik
Enthusiast - Level 3

My favorite was the R2D2, for other reasons.  I think the theory from the people that develop the smartphones is that, when they made phones with physical QWERTY keyboards, they didn't have as advanced touch screens at that time.  Now the response is so accurate and quick that using a touch screen creates added weight, bulk and is less 'sexy' than the slim phones coming out today (the standards these days!).

I would not suggest a blackberry, although they are good phones, you give up so much screen space which is the main benefit of the slider phones.  The only company that really stood by the physical QWERTY keyboard market was Motorola, and their mobile division was purchased by google a couple of years ago, they are trying to compete with apple and Samsung, who's main line of phones is slim, sleek and all touch.  So it makes more sense for them to throw money at that design first.

I feel for you though

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Re: Why no high quality QWERTY phones?
MiiHere
Champion - Level 3

I've only been on the Verizon forums for the last 4 weeks and this is the first post I've seen about someone wanting the built in keyboard. I should have said MOST people don't want that style as it is too bulky. I don't doubt that some people enjoy it, nor do I doubt that some people didn't want to go to touchscreen. However I also don't doubt that some people who didn't want to go to touchscreen ended up enjoying it.

If what I researched was correct, the Droid 4 has a 4" screen while the Blackberry Classic has a 3.5" screen. You do loose some size in comparison, but based on the photos it looks like the screen takes up more than half of the Blackberry while the keyboard takes up less.

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Re: Why no high quality QWERTY phones?
Genserik
Enthusiast - Level 3

That half-inch on the blackberry though, that actually does makes a difference

Re: Why no high quality QWERTY phones?
MiiHere
Champion - Level 3

I completely understand that size matters, and before the blackberry screens were VERY small while the keyboard took up a lot, which based on the photos have changed.

Re: Why no high quality QWERTY phones?
Genserik
Enthusiast - Level 3

I remember when choosing a blackberry with or without a camera was actually an option.

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Re: Why no high quality QWERTY phones?
MiiHere
Champion - Level 3

It still is! Verizon has the Blackberry classic with and without camera.

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Re: Why no high quality QWERTY phones?
Khines5705
Specialist - Level 1

I believe that Straight Talk still offers a phone with a QWERTY slider. I used one with them for so long, I swore I would never switch to touchscreen only or move from prepaid to a contract. Yet here I am at Verizon with my G2. I'm happy for the most part but sometimes still miss my slider keyboard when I'm texting. Smiley Sad