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BlackBerry Overtakes iPhone as Bestselling U.S. Smartphone in Q1

Why is this a big deal?

Blackberry and iPhone are only superficially in the same product category.

Blackberries are push email devices that happen to have a phone in them. iPhones are a portable computing and media platform that happens to have a phone in it (Apple will sell you the same portable computer sans phone if you like).

When Blackberry has the sheer number and quality of apps that the iPhone platform has, then there will be some point to a comparison. Wake me up when I can play Myst on a Blackberry for six dollars.
 
I don't know as I don't work for an American company but what phones tend to be supplied as part of the job?
 
Agathon said:
Blackberries are push email devices that happen to have a phone in them. iPhones are a portable computing and media platform that happens to have a phone in it (Apple will sell you the same portable computer sans phone if you like).
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You mean portable gaming and media platform, right?

Agathon said:
When Blackberry has the sheer number and quality of apps that the iPhone platform has, then there will be some point to a comparison. Wake me up when I can play Myst on a Blackberry for six dollars.
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Yeah, I thought so. And this is why the BB is out-selling the iPhone right now. I may be stereotyping, but I'm sure the average BB user is not losing sleep over not being able to play a substandard version of Myst on their cellphone.

And I would say that that the BB has the same number of quality apps as the iPhone (and maybe even more). Having a guzzilion games (like Myst) and thousands of crApps (like one-touch dialers, iFarts, tip calculators, etc.) doesn't make the iPhone platform necessarily better. I would say GUI and ease of use may make it better.
 
So what if they are outselling the iphone, they have more phones and on more different carriers. The iphone OS userbase will pass the Blackberry platform soon. Apple has already sold 37 million in less than 2 years, meanwhile Blackberry just sold their 50th million blackberry in like 10 years. Meanwhile they just started their app store and the apps that are free for iphones they have to pay for, go read some of the complaints on blackberry forums, and yes they also have fart apps for blackberries, lol.
 
What? Apple concerned about market share? No way! I mean I read here that they weren't. :eek:

/sarcasm off

Is it really such a surprise? I don't think so. The halo effect from iPod and iPhone sales to-date can't carry the company's profit numbers indefinitely. It's really only a matter of time before they begin showing concern beyond these particular cash cow products.

:apple:
 
kas23 said:
You mean portable gaming and media platform, right?
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Don't be silly. It is capable of far more than that. The PSP is a gaming and media platform, and can't do much else. To compare it directly with the iPhone platform is just as daft as comparing the iPhone with RIM's devices. While there is overlap, they aren't really the same thing.

Yeah, I thought so. And this is why the BB is out-selling the iPhone right now. I may be stereotyping, but I'm sure the average BB user is not losing sleep over not being able to play a substandard version of Myst on their cellphone.
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I'm sure they aren't. But your point is irrelevant. Unless RIM can come up with a much more versatile platform in the next couple of years, and that means a proper platform, not just similar software running on radically different pieces of hardware, then they are going to have a hard time competing with Apple and devices running Android.

And I would say that that the BB has the same number of quality apps as the iPhone (and maybe even more).
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Well, if you're prepared to say that, then I guess all I can do is laugh and ask for some of what you have been smoking.
 
Agathon said:
Don't be silly. It is capable of far more than that. The PSP is a gaming and media platform, and can't do much else. To compare it directly with the iPhone platform is just as daft as comparing the iPhone with RIM's devices. While there is overlap, they aren't really the same thing.



I'm sure they aren't. But your point is irrelevant. Unless RIM can come up with a much more versatile platform in the next couple of years, and that means a proper platform, not just similar software running on radically different pieces of hardware, then they are going to have a hard time competing with Apple and devices running Android.



Well, if you're prepared to say that, then I guess all I can do is laugh and ask for some of what you have been smoking.
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I have to be in agreement with your and others platform arguments.

The iPhone and Android, and to a lesser extent, the Palm Pre (whither Windows Mobile?) platforms are all scalable and excepting the iPhone (for now anyway) fully support the much vaunted keypad of the Blackberry. Even as we speak, Blackberry finds itself in the position of having a class leading, but niche product line, and I would argue that isn't enough for the coming competition, the boundaries and rules of which will be established by the end of this year.
 
ofcourse, they are practically giving away blackberries for free.

I like to see how many blackberry they can sell for $199ish, and how many data contract are included.

When blackberries are free, would get the phone BUT not include any data-plan, and just use the phone like... well a phone. (I know, I got one for my brother and myself for our family plan that does not include any email/data package under T-mobile).

But i barely use it, as my primary mobile is my iphone under AT&T.
 
Maybe Apple's #2 because everyone has already bought the iPhone. You can't increase sales if everyone already has it.... :)
 
kas23 said:
You mean portable gaming and media platform, right?
Click to expand...

Where's my SSH terminal on BB? Where's my RDP on BB? WiFi locator with detailed information?

The app selection sucks for BB, and what does exist for BB in comparison to the iPhone sucks. I'd love to just carry my BB, but sadly it's crippled for anything more than e-mail and a phone.
 
macgrl said:
I don't know as I don't work for an American company but what phones tend to be supplied as part of the job?
Click to expand...

The company I work for supplies Blackberry devices only. We had originally also supported Treos, but we are strictly Blackberry only now.

We get lots of questions about iPhones, but we have a contract with Verizon, so we basically use Verizon only devices.
 
devinci99 said:
I like to see how many blackberry they can sell for $199ish, and how many data contract are included.
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As mentioned before, RIM in total has always sold twice what Apple has done in total, no matter what the BB prices were. Heck, they outsell everyone.

All the BOGO free did, was to allow a single RIM model to outsell all other phones.

JMax1 said:
Maybe Apple's #2 because everyone has already bought the iPhone. You can't increase sales if everyone already has it.... :)
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That sounds about right. Now, if they'd just sell on Verizon and Sprint... ;)
 
devinci99 said:
ofcourse, they are practically giving away blackberries for free.

I like to see how many blackberry they can sell for $199ish, and how many data contract are included.
Click to expand...

I paid $179 for my BlackBerry Curve back in October at the AT&T store. They sell plenty at that price. The data plan and minutes was just about the same cost as my iPhone with a two year contract.
 
Agathon said:
Why is this a big deal?

Blackberry and iPhone are only superficially in the same product category.
Click to expand...

It's interesting because this particular report only tallied up CONSUMER buyers. That is, if a person they surveyed said they were an enterprise user, they weren't counted.

RIM has recently stated that they now sell about half and half between the enterprise and consumer markets.

Which basically means that, even just counting about half their sales, RIM outsold other consumer smartphone makers. So it's remarkable that the iPhone made the #2 spot.
 
polaris20 said:
Where's my SSH terminal on BB? Where's my RDP on BB? WiFi locator with detailed information?

The app selection sucks for BB, and what does exist for BB in comparison to the iPhone sucks. I'd love to just carry my BB, but sadly it's crippled for anything more than e-mail and a phone.
Click to expand...
So true - Blackberries basically offer late 1990s technology for the late 2000s.
 
Being locked into AT&T is the biggest reason the iPhone is hamstrung. The Blackberry, being available to many more markets, is a lot easier to sell. People don't want to switch cell service for a phone unless they are unhappy with their previous provider or unless they must have the new product. People have a hard time leaving Verizon for AT&T, considering the former has much more solid coverage. No one really knows (or cares) about 3G speeds unless you start looking in our microcosm.

Considering this huge limitation, Apple has still managed to break ground with its phone. Then again, it can play this weakness into a future strength: people in other services that wanted the phone for the last ~2 years could finally have a chance to get them. Same as with the Wii, its shortages helped its popularity greatly. It's hard to say that if the iPhone had been released in all networks it would be more or less successful than starting out with a relatively weak network and then moving into the strong ones.

Had Apple signed with Verizon to start with they would have been in a very strong position (assuming they got the same concessions than the ones they got from AT&T) but Verizon laughed at them. Then again, when you have a solid network, you can afford to sell disposable phones without much argument from the consumer. If your cellphone is a lifeline to you, a dumbphone from Verizon is the way to go.

An issue that is bound to come up is that Apple tends to consolidate products. It is a bit unlikely that they will redesign the baseband to match Verizon's network and basically have two different kinds of phones out there. That's why a completely different device with different rules of play and probably less capability will do well with Verizon: a relatively crappy iPhone nano with no App Store but an assortment of cool apps preinstalled will send the signal out that people could have much more if they made the network move. Moving from Verizon is painful and both sides know it.

All's fair in love, war, and stealing market share. What kind of device is Apple planning for Verizon? We shall see, but I have a feeling it'll follow suit with "Lite" and "Full" appstore philosophy.
 
I frankly don't care who's number one, I'm going to get the phone that suits me best which is currently any BlackBerry. I don't care that I don't have apps, I don't care if I can't play Myst or any "friggin amazing game" that can run on the iPhone ("let's see x phone do that!"). Why are people so quick to jump to defend Apple falling in second? What, do you need a point to tell people why the iPhone is the best? I'm also confused because when Apple is number one, it's all about the numbers but when they're not, "Apple doesn't care about numbers, it's all about quality". Which one is it?

By reading a few posts, it seems like Apple is never wrong or the numbers are never accurate because "Apple's sales are down, everyone is always waiting for the next iPhone and the iPhone after that.) S---, based on Apple's plans, looks like they'll release one every year, which means it will never fair!

I also have to laugh at those who say RIM is dead after x-generation iPhone comes out. I've been hearing that for years and all I see is RIM selling more than the previous QTR and gaining marketshare (wait, is that because everyone is holding out for the next iPhone?). Just following RIM's growth since the first iPhone was released, it's not hard to see that Apple is doing nothing to RIM, they're not taking marketshare from them.

Apple fans need to stop defending Apple (like they need it) or give an explanation as to why Apple isn't #1 every chance they get and the same could be said about those who defend RIM. If anything, the BOGO did play a HUGE part but that's not on RIM. AT&T could decide to do the same as well seeing how they already bought it from Apple so they're free to do anything.

Ultimately, defending a company is going to make your phone any more cooler.

DMann said:
So true - Blackberries basically offer late 1990s technology for the late 2000s.
Click to expand...

So what? If looks were so important, RIM would've died long time ago, they have made NO huge changes to UI and changing the icons to the current set doesn't make it any more modern. Being the best looking, able to play 3D games on a phone doesn't make it the ultimate phone, it just so happens to be the phone for you and not the other millions who chose not to go with the iPhone.
 
iLog.Genius said:
So what? If looks were so important, RIM would've died long time ago, they have made NO huge changes to UI and changing the icons to the current set doesn't make it any more modern. Being the best looking, able to play 3D games on a phone doesn't make it the ultimate phone, it just so happens to be the phone for you and not the other millions who chose not to go with the iPhone.
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Did you read the post he was quoting (mine)? We're not talking about just games here, we're talking about applications that are useful in everyday business environments, both IT and general business.

I repeat: the BB is useless as anything other than a phone with e-mail. The iPhone (and largely WM6.1 for that matter, though the UI still sucks) is far more powerful for real functionality.

I have a Curve. It's a good phone. Phone. That's it. I have an iPod Touch, and I use it constantly at work, because of the applications available to me in my pocket.
 
polaris20 said:
Did you read the post he was quoting (mine)? We're not talking about just games here, we're talking about applications that are useful in everyday business environments, both IT and general business.

I repeat: the BB is useless as anything other than a phone with e-mail. The iPhone (and largely WM6.1 for that matter, though the UI still sucks) is far more powerful for real functionality.

I have a Curve. It's a good phone. Phone. That's it. I have an iPod Touch, and I use it constantly at work, because of the applications available to me in my pocket.
Click to expand...

Ok that's fine. iPhone has the looks, plays games and has a TON of apps. The point still stands, all that doesn't make it the best phone out there, it is just for you or whoever decides to get the iPhone. Truthfully, the iPhone hardware and phone itself is way more advanced than anything out there period but everyone out there isn't getting one so people need to stop bragging about how it's the best phone out there and everyone should get it because of this feature and that. Like you said, other than phone and e-mail, it's useless but so many people flooding out to get a BlackBerry even before Verizon decided to roll out a BOGO.
 
iLog.Genius said:
Ok that's fine. iPhone has the looks, plays games and has a TON of apps. The point still stands, all that doesn't make it the best phone out there, it is just for you or whoever decides to get the iPhone. Truthfully, the iPhone hardware and phone itself is way more advanced than anything out there period but everyone out there isn't getting one so people need to stop bragging about how it's the best phone out there and everyone should get it because of this feature and that. That's all I'm saying.
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This is the internet. People are always going to say what the "best" is. I'm pretty sure they mean what they think is the best, as generally it's not followed by pages and pages of conclusive scientific study and objective surveys.

The only problem is when certain characters around here start referring to things as "truth", "facts", etc.
 
dgcaste said:
Had Apple signed with Verizon to start with they would have been in a very strong position (assuming they got the same concessions than the ones they got from AT&T) but Verizon laughed at them.
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Verizon didn't "laugh" at Apple. They just couldn't come to an agreement.

Ironically, some of the original Apple restrictions that Verizon disagreed with, are now gone: No sales through partners. No customer subsidies. No A-GPS. All fixed now. The iPhone is not as hobbled as it was back at the start.
 
Another factor that some may not be considering is that there's a very large segment that just will *never* buy a smartphone that does not have a physical keyboard. I am not one of those folks, but it is an important thing that Apple has artificially constrained on themselves.

Even though I am *very* happy with the software keyboard on my iPhone, there are times when I do miss an actual physical keyboard. Biggest time when I miss a physical keyboard?

When the iPhone is lagging (probably e-mail), and I'm trying to type out an SMS text. The software keyboard can lagggggggg. This, for the most part, would never happen with a physical keyboard.

Ultimately however, I'm quite happy with my iPhone software keyboard. I'm very quick with my typing, and I'm to the point I don't even notice it, except of course on the occasional lag issues and when I send a text when I noticed that the autocorrection has taken over.

w00master
 
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