The BlackBerry Bold, now available in Canada, is about to make its entry in the US (from AT&T). It was very well reviewed and considered to be a peer of the iPhone by ZDNet. Meanwhile a more direct iPhone competitor, the touch-screen BlackBerry Storm, will also soon make its US debut from Verizon. It too has been positively tested (although unlike the Bold it has no WiFi).

The question Fortune asks is what will the Storm's pricing will be. Will Verizon subsidize it aggressively to undercut the iPhone? Vodafone in the UK is apparently giving away the Storm:

In a sign of just how desperate phone companies are to lock customers in to lengthy contracts, Verizon’s wireless partner is willing to subsidize the Storm – which sells for about $500 without a calling plan – in order to lure subscribers in England.

Though a final decision has yet to be made, Verizon is considering the same strategy for the Storm’s U.S. debut next month, according to an industry source familiar with the discussions. Another person close to the company says it’s unlikely the Storm will be free.

If it were free it would fly off the shelves to be sure. I'm guessing there's a 100% chance will be less than the iPhone. T-Mobile underpriced the iPhone by about $20 and Wal-Mart undercut that price (with the G1) by $30 additional dollars. 

We're clearly entering a period in the US where handsets are becoming more of a consumer draw.