iPhone in my future?

I’m sure there are a lot of BlackBerry users facing the same dilemma as I am. My BlackBerry is elderly; I’ve been patiently waiting for the new BlackBerry 10 that’s coming later this year. And happily so until yesterday when Research In Motion announced that the first models would not have physical keyboards. Those versions would come later, presumably sometime in 2013. As an author who wrote a book about the company and praised its former co-CEOs, and as a fan, this is deeply disappointing. I must be typical of many BlackBerry owners – I’m loyal. A physical keyboard is why we own one. Shouldn’t RIM offer us a crumb in return?

My first BlackBerry was the 7290, maybe eight years ago. Then I moved up to the 8700 and used it for five years. Next I got a new(er) model. You have to understand that these were all hand-me-ups from my son Mark. Sometimes when he got the newest model, I’d inherit his previous one. The last time that happened, when he bought the Bold last September, a week later I was out birding and my “new” BlackBerry, case and all, fell from my belt into a river and sank out of sight. I’d had it such a short time I couldn’t even tell you now what model it was.

So I reverted to my trusty 8700, a workhorse if ever there was one, and decided I might as well wait for the BlackBerry 10. Why buy a Bold when a whole new raft of models with brand new software was coming? But the dates kept getting pushed ahead. In 2011, it was going to be 2012. Now, in 2012, it’s going to be 2013 before I can buy one with a physical keyboard.

So I went into my local Rogers store yesterday and learned that I can upgrade to an iPhone for no money up front and a three-year contract that only costs $10 a month more than what I’m paying now. The increase in data under the new plan appears to be plenty even if I go crazy on downloads.

Why wouldn’t I switch to the competition as have so many millions? Where has my loyalty to BlackBerry got me? And yet. I can’t quite pull the trigger. But I might.