Verizon has recently extended their return policy to include dates just prior to the BlackBerry Storm launch, suggesting that there are many unhappy customers out there wanting to return RIM’s first touchscreen device. Launch-day reviews were iffy at best and condemning at worst, but we’ve seen an operating system update since then that supposedly fixed many of the BlackBerry 9530’s performance issues. Is it possible that the devices that are being sold still have the old OS installed, and folks aren’t looking into updating, or is the Storm still on thin ice even after the patch? Personally, I’m running 4.7.0.76 on my Telus review unit, and haven’t had any bash-worthy malfunctions. Maybe it’s an interface issue – the SurePress touchscreen certainly takes some getting used to, and even I’ll admit that it’s not as precise as I’d like it to be. For those of you that have bought a Verizon BlackBerry Storm (or know someone who has), are you happy with it? If not, what’s your biggest gripe? If you’re still sitting on the fence about getting one, be sure to keep an eye out next week for our in-depth review of the BlackBerry Storm.
UPDATE: A quote right from Verizon has surfaced regarding Storm return rates…
“The Storm has the lowest return rate of any of our PDAs and at this point in its life cycle, it has the lowest return rate of any PDA we currently sell.”
Sounds like a PR spin to me…
[via Silicon Alley Insider]