In order to be successful, RIM/Blackberry needs to do more than just put out a phone that is equal to the competition (iPhone/Android). They've already had 2-3 years of people leaving them in droves, and those people are now, for the most part, happy with their new choices.
Saying: "Look, BB10 can do everything your phone can do" is going to be met with a "So what?" by most of those users. There needs to be something in a new phone to cause people to change.
So like I said, outside of a keyboard, which isn't even available yet, I don't see anything in the new phone that does this.
At the very best, all Blackberry can hope for is that this phone stems the tide of current BB users opting for other smartphones. That's not going to save the company though.
My reason to be unexcited is that it is now just "another phone". The BIS (blackberry internet service) might've sucked in some ways but it meant tight security, and more importantly, roaming.
If they want to keep the big paying customers there, they're going to have to start talking about their previous "good points" and we shall see if they're still standing. Or it's more of a "Alicia Keys" public thing.
In the question round-up, someone asked how the switch to a "direct connection" will fare (in comparison with the current system under BB7, I understand).
No clear answer there. It's not like it's important for them, right?
A new UI is only a bad thing if your customers like the old UI. People were actively leaving the BB platform just so they can learn a (not shitty) UI - so this is on the whole a good thing.
1) Physical keyboard in the Q10
2) No Android, no Google
3) Hardware and software made by the same company
4) No Samsung/HTC/etc crapware customizations
5) Hopefully more top-down design and app store curation ala iOS
6) My Bold 9900 feels expensive; most Android phones I've played with feel cheap and plasticky
7) LTE, which the otherwise interesting Nexus 4 doesn't have
8) The BB10 UI looks less like an art school project than WP8