It appears as though iPhones are what people want. The iPhone 4 shattered records for AT&T in the third quarter of the year for activations. iPhones sales are up tremendously along with the never-ending reports of the iPhone coming to Verizon. Not to mention the gaining popularity with Android phones and the upcoming Microsoft 7 phone, it would appear as though RIM may be on the outside looking in when it comes to users. The company failed to create an appropriate response to the iPhone when it first came out, their answer being the rejected Blackberry Storm, with all of it's hardware and software deficiencies. Then there was the Blackberry Storm 2, which had its own slew of problems in regards to software and hardware. Their latest edition to the smartphone industry, Blackberry Torch, has fallen upon mixed reviews. Regarded as being a game changer by having both a touch screen and a full QWERTY keyboard, the Torch just doesn't seem to have what users want. RIM's biggest reason, in my opinion, would have to be the lack of apps that are supported. They cannot hold their own when it comes to the apps provided by Apple and Android users. The next upcoming model for the Blackberry, the Style, appears to be yet another hopefully popular addition to the RIM catalogue. The main difference for this phone is that it's a flip-phone.
It also doesn't help that the iPhone is reported (again) to be coming to Verizon at the beginning of 2011. Verizon is rumored to be releasing their new network at the end of this year that is supposed to withold 4G capabilities. If these speculations prove to be true, bad news can be spelled for both RIM and AT&T. According to the first artile I linked, as many as 6 million iPhone users could potentially leave AT&T for Verizon's network.
It's so weird to hear about these claims that RIM is unable to maintain its hold on the smartphone industry, one that it's held for so long. Personally, I know twice as many people with Blackberrys as I do iPhones. I myself have the Blackberry Bold and have no qualms with it whatsoever, sure the apps would be nice, but I like what I have and BBM is one thing that no other smartphone will be able to acquire. In my mind, the apps will come eventually to RIM. It's just a matter of them holding out until they figure out their ish.
http://www.cultofmac.com/verizon-won%E2%80%99t-get-the-iphone-until-summer-2011-here%E2%80%99s-why/62238
ReplyDeleteI'm a big Mac follower/Fan/Nerd, and am always looking for the new info. This site is pretty great, and I thought it went pretty well with your posting. I myself am also a Blackberry fan for one simple reason: Verizon > AT&T I completely agree with you also about bbm. It is one main reason I haven't made the switch to any generations of the Droid--I can't seem to give up bbm. I don't know if you're familiar with the Droid, but I have been tempted too many times to make the switch-it's a pretty great device.
My main qualm about the iPhone, even if it comes to Verizon is I have a terrible habit of breaking phones. That means for every iPhone I would potentially break, I would have to drive one hour to have it fixed at home, or make the trek to Pentagon City if I'm here at CUA, just to have it fixed. And the hastle of trying to find an Apple Store if I'm on vacation, or visiting friends at their schools is completely unappealing.
One comfort is that we aren't the only Blackberry fans left in the world-I don't think that Verizon users are too torn up about not having the iPhone (again) in 2010, and possibly not in 2011 either.
I too prefer blackberrys, mostly because they are compatible with everything. I beleive in a couple years, however, there will be virtually no difference in any of the smart phones on the market because they will all be ridiculous compared to today's standards.
ReplyDeleteAlso, i was told that one can't buy long-term insurance for the iPhone, is this true? The reasoning the person gave me was that because the iPhone is so much more than a phone, it's roughly everything Apple sells, in a phone form.
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