Telus hints 16GB BlackBerry PlayBook being discontinued
updated 01:45 pm EDT, Mon October 17, 2011
Telus stopped offering PlayBook orders October 10
A Telus inventory screenshot unearthed by MobileSyrup indicates the 16GB version of RIM's ill-received BlackBerry PlayBook will soon be discontinued. The document shows two dates, with October 10 being the last day orders of the tablet from the Canadian provider could be made and November 8 the last day returns will be accepted. A third date for when the tablet will no longer be available at Telus is currently blank, though it will likely be when stock is depleted.
This could mean Telus won't offer other RIM tablets, such as the larger 32GB and 64GB models, or the upcoming 4G LTE PlayBook, though this remains to be seen. The Wi-Fi version has been criticized for its lack of a native e-mail client, calendar and contacts. RIM has promised an update will fix this, though it won't be made public until Tuesday.
RIM sold only 700,000 tablets in six months, a number that pales in comparison to those posted by the competition. Those numbers are the reason RIM's retail partners recently slashed prices by $200.
