It wouldn't have worked.
Blackberry are dying because of the 8520, not because of bb10. Bb10 is a great os, as qnx is a great os. Blackberry have made some great new devices, but they simply are not selling. Its not because they are bad, but because blackberry is seen as bad.
Speaking from the British market, blackberry was up until recently a chav phone. Bought in droves by uncooth yobs that used it for its street cred and bbm.
This had the effect of massive sales, but only to a select demographic. A demographic that is easily swayed by what's hot and what everyone else has.
They all bought the 8520. And it was ****. Utter, utter ****.
Then, apple continue with their "hot" phones, Samsung become cool again, and to a lesser extent, Nokia do too.
So the only people who were buying blackberrys in the uk have ditched what they see as "old and gay" and gone for phones with "swag" (god i hate chavs).
Its the blackberry name that's mud, not the new phones.