[BeanieBeanie]

I agree with most. Blackberry made its product specifically for the business and productivity market. This is what they are known for and this is the niche they have established. The fact that they are getting consumers in the mainstream market is just gravy.

Also with consideration that many large corpoate markets utilize PCs in day to day operations, with no motivation to switch to mac due to the need for PCs, why would businesses go to a mac phone?

So catering to this demographic will not be their undoing. Sorry to burst your bubble.

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[Xopher]

If some one is so brand loyal they won't use the product that gets the job done the best they won't be a CEO of anything.

If Apple successfully invades the corporate market it won't be because of brand loyal teenagers who have aged into the corporate work force. It will be because they created a device that best serves that market segment. Is Apple preferred by graphic designers because they grew up with a Mac? Probably not. They prefer Apple because Mac is the best product for that application.

I compeltely agree. Years ago, I worked for a company that made PC software (I was a programmer for 18 years). All of the instruction manuals were created on Macs.

When it comes to BBs and business, there is a lot more going on behind the scenes than just the BB itself. Most companies trust the level of security that is provided by BES, along with MDS and MVS features.

Looking at BBs like the Pearl, the new Pearl Flip, and the Storm, there are quite a number of options available for teenagers. I see teenagers with BBs all the time. Some things that keep BBs above iPhones right now: variety (choice of phone style) and availability (you can get a BB pretty much with any carrier).

[avt123]

I believe that apple users are more in it for the apparent fashion statement it creates.. Maybe I just don't want to be a sellout but I would try very hard not to get an apple product

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

Sellout? I'm sorry I prefer quality products. And yes I am willing to pay the high price for it. So if someone buys a Mac, they are a sellout, while the majority of the WORLD uses PC? If I buy an iPod, I'm a sellout, because it's the best mp3 player?

It may be a fashion statement for some, but for others like myself, it is not. I like Apple products. I think they are quality made. Same with RIM. BBs are quality. The build quality of some of their phones is not so good, but overall their product is quality.

Just because I have an Apple logo on a piece of plastic, does not make me think I'm cool.

[gbeebe]

I don't know what you're talking about. Almost everyone has a blackberry at my school!

The most used ones are the curve and the pearl. I've seen two storms and as far as I've seen, I'm the only one with the Bold.

But on the flip side, iPhones have been popping up more and more. I used to be the first & only one with that but now its a common sighting.

I think blackberries have the iPhones beat at my school though.

Just the view from a 17 year old.

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[bhk8743]

The solution to how RIM can cater to the 16-20 year old demographic (especially girls).

is......

INCLUDE THE COLORPEARL (multi-color-led's under the trackball) ON THE BB FLIP


problem solved. I should work for RIM
there.

[LondoJowo]

OMG the iPhone is taking over the world. They'll have BB for an appetizer and S60 for the main course.

[reeneebob]

Um...if you don't think RIM has been catering to the 16 - 20 market, you must have your head in the sand. What do you think the marketing push, ad campaigns and high profile sponsorships they have been doing since the introduction of the Pearl have been?

What do you think the Pearl, Curve, Pearl flip and Storm are?

RIM are absolutely turning away from the business image, and have been for some time now.

And I agree with avt123 - that is a BS argument that Apple users are in it for the image and the cachet of the logo. Puleeze - if you think that there are Berry users who don't flaunt having a Berry because of the 'ooooo' factor or it makes them feel superior you are hugely mistaken. The attitude of this entire board with the constant "iPhones are toys Berry's are serious phones" is elitism and acting superior because of the phone you use.

I own an iPod Touch and Classic because they make the best mp3 player with the cleanest interface I have ever used, and I've used a lot. RIM understands that for them to compete they have to embrace the consumer market, but they have made a lot of mistakes in the move - subpar OS, crap browser and UI. But rest assured they are most definitely courting the commercial market and turning away from the business user and have been since the Pearl.

[Fiasco]

I see many people here comment on the IPhone being a "Toy" something "Kids" want and use. Comments like "Its not a business tool" Blackberry is! Well it now seems Apples intention is to move the IPhone or maybe future models straight into the business market. When 16 year old "Johnny" and his colleagues become a CEO in a few years and all he played with is IPhone when he was in High School who will he turn to for the future in wireless cellular communications for his Company? RIM? I doubt it. Smart Company Apple is for catering to the young right now. They will be making the Big telecommunications buying decisions in a few years.

While I see the point you are making, it is really moot.

By your logic we should all still use Nokias and Motorolas as that's what we were using back then, yet here we are on a BB forum.

In the telecom field you just can't say which manufacturer will be hot 2 years from now, let alone 15 to 20 years down the line.

By the time today's teen market is in CEO positions there could be half a dozen new telecom manufacturers with new competitive products, and some old stalwarts will have moved on to making other products, while some will have gone completely. The idea of loyalty to a cellphone manufacturer lasting 20 to 30 years is rather far fetched.

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[UncleSmurf]

What does a 16 yo need a BB for?? They should be mowing lawns and doing stupid 16 yo things.

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[shabbasuraj]

Apple's enterprise product is coming in 2010.. and yes it will hve a keyboard and push.... sux to be RIM.. maybe bythen RIMs app store will be working.l LOL

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[mreschkebb0626]

Who is this "Johnny"??? Any relation to Joe the Plumber???

I don't think RIM has anything to worry about, last time I checked it was their stocks that were going up and Apple's that were going down. Besides, iPhones are junk. My work is full of people who had iPhones when they got wooed by the charm of the looks, but ditched them when they started screwing up, breaking, freezing and becoming glitchy and garbage in general.

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[Xopher]

I don't think companies have to worry about the iPhone teen market of today becoming CEOs. Once they get out of college and get an entry position in the company, they will more than likey get fired for playing video games on their iPhone instead of working.

[gzigoris]

After a career in Computer service and life. I can say that when your 16 year old becomes a man in the business world he will put away his toys and buy a productive Phone. If he is serious about his work he won't be playing with a stupid iphone. Besides his company will be furnishing him with a BB

George

[ClintRo]

The storm is markets towards the Iphone and "younger" market

[zamey]

IMHO, if I had my way, anyone under the age of 18 wouldn't have a damn cell phone. Cry me a river, mommy and daddy won't buy you an iPhone or BlackBerry. You don't need such a sophisticated tool when all you do is text and play games on it anyway. Get a Samsung Gravity or something that YOUR PARENTS won't pay an arm and a leg for :/

I'll be 23 in April. I never had a phone like this until recently, because I NEED IT FOR MY JOB. in ADULT LAND.

Not hating on the younger users, just reminded that when I was 13-16 I had better things to do than dink around with a cell phone/smart phone, like play hockey, swim, work, other random things NOT ELECTRONICALLY INDUCED.

[ClintRo]

Well I am the father of a 14 year old... she lives with her mom and I purchased her a phone so I can talk and text her whenever I want to..... It is nice to be able to get a hold of her... their are some valid reasons for teenagers to have phones...

[alleycat0124]

In the telecom field you just can't say which manufacturer will be hot 2 years from now, let alone 15 to 20 years down the line.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

I agree. Excellent point.

[c_is_for_crackberry]

wrong.....RIM is not going to market phone as a toy, or corporate world will not feel its a professional phone for buisness use...and more money in the corparate world then a bunch of kids have

[avt123]

wrong.....RIM is not going to market phone as a toy, or corporate world will not feel its a professional phone for buisness use...and more money in the corparate world then a bunch of kids have

Yes there is a lot of money in the corporate world, but there is also a lot of money that parents will dish out to spoil their children. They don't really need to cater to them right now anyways because there is already a huge amount of kids with BBs, and the Storm was a big step in that direction.

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[c_is_for_crackberry]

thats true avt123, you can make phones kid friendly without marketing them as your demographic

[avt123]

thats true avt123, you can make phones kid friendly without marketing them as your demographic

Exactly. You don't need to dumb down the BB OS at all. Most children these days are tech friendly and know how to use programs before their parents. I have let my little cousins play will my Bold and iPhone and they were able to figure them out relatively fast. Just change the look of the device or make it a little more "hip" and appealing to the younger crowd and they will love it.

[bbsean]

I got the humour there Carroty!

I'm not sure that I agree Bettermost. Apple didn't do a very good job IMO of penetrating commerce - except for maybe the Graphic Design industry.

I think RIM has got too large a share of the business market to be easily pushed out by Apple IMHO.

It's not slang, and I know what it means.

[LeeLu]

im actually see a lot of the teens around my way moving from sidekicks to blackberries...so i dunno

[gpo1956]

By the time "Johnny" becomes a CEO he will know that it's time to put the toys away and play with the big boys now.

I could not have said it better! I have several customers who played with the iPhone and lasted less than 3 months. They were CONSTANTLY calling me without knowing it. They are fun toys, but unless there are MAJOR design changes, they will never be a threat in the business world. And, if the changes were made, it would no longer resemble the iPhone we know today.

[Rudolphe]

All they have to do is make a shiny white blackberry with a picture of a blackberry on it and they're sold.