New BlackBerry, Upgraded iPhone, Keeping up with the Smartphone Blitz
Just when Research In Motion (RIM) gets a chance to one-up Apple with the new BlackBerry Bold, Apple announces it’s out of iPhones, fueling rumors that an upgraded iPhone is ready for launch - possibly as soon as June 9th if rumors are accurate.
Not that BlackBerry Bold would have stolen much market share from Apple anyway, or vice versa. BlackBerry is the business brand, and Apple is the retail brand. The iPhone brought more retail users to the smartphone category, but businesses still prefer the BlackBerry.
However, the story isn’t over. Businesses stayed away from the iPhone because the previous generations had an unsecure mail connection. Rumor has it that problem will be fixed in the next version.
With that said, people who use the iPhone love the product, the interface and the brand. Once the iPhone addresses that security issue (which might happen within the next few weeks if the 3G iPhone release is, in fact, imminent), RIM should be worried. That’s when a big shift in market share might begin.
What do you think?
You can read the opposite view point to this argument on my marketing blog, MarketingBlurb.com.
Image: Apple.com
Tags: apple, BlackBerry, BlackBerry Bold, Brand Strategy, brand-position, iPhone, market share, new BlackBerry, new iPhone, new-product-development, Research in Motion, RIM
1 opinion for New BlackBerry, Upgraded iPhone, Keeping up with the Smartphone Blitz
Scott
May 13, 2008 at 5:03 am
RIM is going to be tough to beat, but in my IT experience I’ve seen adoption of whiz-bang technology like the iPhone usually prompted by executives who love their new toys and executives usually get what they want.
Once more cellular providers are allowed to support the iPhone and the price of the handset goes down, Apple will start chewing into the BlackBerry and Windows Mobile handset market.
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