The Greatest Race: BlackBerry vs. iPhone

Sunday, June 21st, 2009

Now that BlackBerry has finally overtaken the iPhone in total sales, the race is on.

It doesn’t cost as much. It’s available in so many places that it’s said to be ubiquitous. But like runners-up everywhere, according to First Quarter 2009 sales statistics, the iPhone is now in second place. How do you like those apples, Apple? Research in Motion’s BlackBerry Curve is officially the most popular U.S. smartphone.

The smartphone list of bestsellers was primarily BlackBerry territory, as several types of BlackBerry sets made the list. Hip Hooray for RIM, of course, but since the iPhone is only available from a single source (AT &T), is it surprising that Apple’s pride and joy has suddenly morphed into an also-ran? Every major carrier makes BlackBerry’s devices ubiquitous, but if that’s the case, why is it still a race? Why has it taken this long for the Curve to emerge as numero uno?

The picture is in constant flux. June 2009 is virtually certain to introduce some brand-new Apple hardware, even as BlackBerry’s devices are being continually updated since the release of the iPhone 3G in 2008. The Curve’s current lofty stature might soon be as relevant as the hula hoop’s place as a child’s toy.
Smack in the middle of the list is T-Mobile’s G1, the only smartphone to employ Google technology, at least in the sense of an operating system. If Google were to be sparked in some unseen manner, sales of the G1 could leapfrog over all the berries, whether sweet or not.

More likely will be a resurgence of Apple’s iPhone during the summer, despite but not because of their single-offering business model. A new less expensive iPhone introduced with a big league marketing push would mean not only a return to #1, but if the platform finally gets stretched beyond the captive AT&T, RIM might be pulling a Satchel Paige before long – Don’t look back, something might be gaining on you! That something might be a more ubiquitous iPhone that might even threaten to lap the field. But these ranking games can prove fickle.

Many U.S. rural areas are without AT&T service because networks are yet to be built. Many consumers really want iPhones, but feel obliged to settle for BlackBerries. When that happens, even the currently exalted Curve is less than sweet.

Jeff Gasner is with CPR-Cell Phone repair. The leader in Cell Phone Repair and iPod repair offering cell phone repair services nationwide. To learn more about Cell phone repair, ipod repair, cell repair services, visit Chicagocellrepair.com.

Tags: Blackberry, Cell Phone Repair, iphone repair
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