Production
Development and Manufacturing
The BlackBerry Bold 9000 was designed to cater to “successful professionals” between 35 and 49 and “career builders” between 21 and 34. With that in mind, Bold 9000 was purpose-built to enhance productivity, communication, and security (“BlackBerry - Bold 9000”). The Bold’s design exuded a premium and compact feel that set it apart from other smartphones of its era.
The development and manufacturing of the BlackBerry smartphones were initially done in-house in RIM’s headquarters in Waterloo, Canada until they decided to outsource some work to their partners in 2016 (Cheng 2016). Prior to this transition, the process of assembling and testing the components into the final Bold 9000 most likely took place within RIM-owned facilities, where RIM engineers and developers crafted and refined the device. It most likely followed the typical smartphone manufacturing process, including research, development, design, component manufacturing, assembly, testing, software integration, packaging, and distribution (Das 2023). In general, BlackBerry devices were designed and manufactured to comply with government regulations, including checks for radio frequency (RF) energy exposure to ensure RF energy emission to a limited capacity (BlackBerry, "BlackBerry Bold 9000 Learn More").External Features
Crafted with attention to ergonomics, the Bold 9000 was thoughtful of the user’s comfort and experience of the phone. The keys of the keyboard were elevated, designed for tactile feedback and effortless typings of emails, messages, and documents. Mimicking a mouse, the trackball was positioned in the centre to ensure easy access without straining the fingers for easy navigation and scrolling with precision. The display screen is large and positioned relative to the keyboard for minimised obstruction when typing and viewing. For optimised and high-resolution visuals, the screen provided 65,000 colours and 480x320 pixels. The convenience keys were strategically placed for easy reach, utilising all sides and front of the phones, to launch specific applications or customizable to perform certain actions. With its curved edges and rubberized back cover, the Bold 9000 overall ensured a secure grip and comfortable one-handed operation (“Blackberry Bold 9000 Review: Berry with Guts.” 2009).
Internal Features
To contribute to BlackBerry’s smartphone market advantage, the Blackberry Messenger (BBM), launched in 2005, is one of the most practical tools for business professionals (Warren 2023). By the time of the Bold 9000’s release in 2008, BBM had approximately 4 million users. The integration of the BBM functionality within the BlackBerry Bold 9000 not only enhanced its appeal but also reinforced its competitiveness within the smartphone market.
The strength of RIM products lay in their functionality, particularly their security features, which were highly valued by professionals, the primary target audience for the Bold 9000. Also, as the iPhone sets its direction for security and productivity, productivity and security became the top priorities for RIM products to compete in the market (Levy 2015). RIM had included a SIM card with a PIN code feature and a limited number of password typing attempts to protect the device owner from unauthorised access (Blackberry Bold 9000 smartphone - 5.0 - user guide).
Hand-off
Regarded as a flagship device, upon the end of its production, the Bold 9000 was carefully packaged and distributed in a black box. The retail package included the essential accessories, such as earbuds, data cable, battery charger, CD containing PC software, a premium leather pouch, and product manuals (“Blackberry Bold 9000 Review: Berry with Guts.” 2009).
