[LazyStarGazer]

Doesn't really matter, the iPhone is a novelty item and will be cast away with the likes of the Nintendo Wii, Furbie & Tamagochi very soon.

Yeah, no one buys the Wii anymore.
December NPD: Nintendo dominates, our predictions fail, News from GamePro

[StaticFX]

Nothing lasts for ever. Sooner or later it will be consigned to history as well.
The touch screen revolution is wearing thin as many people are ralising the limitations of it(myself included)
I thought the touch screen would make everything faster but it's not, I'm missing the qwerty and all the shortcuts.

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I never said no one is buying the Wii

I meant that it wont last long once purchased, its great to begin with but after a few months, once the hysteria has settled down, you relalise its limitations and it gets bagged and put into a cupboard somewhere to live out a slow and painful death, lol

same thing happened with my Wii, great to begin with, after a couple of week it was demoted..limited GREAT games, LOTS OF crap ones.

thats just you. maybe you should have bought new games? I have the 360, wii, and pc (for games) - none get old. my son still uses all three as well. Its all about the right game... **** I still play the original UT99 GOTY because its just that good lol

and of course the iphone will become history... so will the wii, 360, ps3, etc etc... that happens with EVERYTHING. remember NES? Atari? all got better... and as they did, the old systems went away. TV's - radios - vcr's - clocks - stoves - fridges - washers & dryers - get where im going with this? everythig gets replaced eventually cause it either breaks or its just time for a new one.

touch screen is still the future - it will only get better and more functional. just my $.02

[oasissux]

Touch screens suck for typing. It's not the future, it's a flashy novelty. Squirrels like flashy things too. Nothing beats tactile feel, just ask any receptionist.

[stuaw11]

Touch screens suck for typing. It's not the future, it's a flashy novelty.

1. Thats your opinion not fact

2. Isn't that what they said about the web and email on your phone 10-15 years ago too right? Sucky experience and not the future because regular people didnt need that.

Technology changes and improves, deal with it, whether you like it or not.

[Masahiro]

Its all about the right game... **** I still play the original UT99 GOTY because its just that good lol

Haha. I loved Unreal Tournament. I played that game for years. I still play Doom2 as well. Aaanyways, back on topic...

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[oasissux]

1. Thats your opinion not fact

2. Isn't that what they said about the web and email on your phone 10-15 years ago too right? Sucky experience and not the future because regular people didnt need that.

Technology changes and improves, deal with it, whether you like it or not.

Touch screens suck for typing, that's a fact. Anyone who says otherwise is in denial. Maybe some new breakthrough will allow users the sensation of 'feeling' keys beneath their fingers so they can type without looking at a keypad, but until then, touchscreens are just a trade-off for more screen real estate at the expense of quick, accurate typing (think iPad vs notebook). Power users will avoid them like the plague. 'Regular people' (the 'squirrels' in my previous analogy) might snatch them up though, but 'regular people' aren't known for their great decisions. He11, 'regular people' let GWB run your country for 8 years. Yikes!

[qbnkelt]

Running away to a mani/pedi so I didn't have a chance to read this article as slowly as I would have liked, but isn't this contradicting the "OMG RIM is falling apart and they won't be around next year" types of thread we've had lately?

RIM will possibly lose ground someday, but I don't believe that date is neither here nor near.
BlackBerry thrives as global customer base widens | TradingMarkets.com

[LazyStarGazer]

Touch screens suck for typing, that's a fact. Anyone who says otherwise is in denial. Maybe some new breakthrough will allow users the sensation of 'feeling' keys beneath their fingers so they can type without looking at a keypad, but until then, touchscreens are just a trade-off for more screen real estate at the expense of quick, accurate typing (think iPad vs notebook). Power users will avoid them like the plague. 'Regular people' (the 'squirrels' in my previous analogy) might snatch them up though, but 'regular people' aren't known for their great decisions. He11, 'regular people' let GWB run your country for 8 years. Yikes!

Just because you can't use one, or have not invested sufficient time to learn how to use one does not mean they suck for everyone else.
Typing without looking is all muscle memory. Pressure/motion applied by the finger at a specific point. That can be applied to any activity.

Power users are the minority. Niche market.
'Regular' users are the majority. They drive the market.

Regular people elected Kennedy as well.

My 2 cents.

[stuaw11]

Just because you can't use one, or have not invested sufficient time to learn how to use one does not mean they suck for everyone else.
Typing without looking is all muscle memory. Pressure/motion applied by the finger at a specific point. That can be applied to any activity.

Power users are the minority. Niche market.
'Regular' users are the majority. They drive the market.

Regular people elected Kennedy as well.

My 2 cents.

thank you someone gets it

[DenverRalphy]

Touch screens suck for typing, that's a fact. Anyone who says otherwise is in denial.

I'd venture to say you are the one in denial. Until you take the time to learn how to type on a touchscreen, you have no idea. Just like it takes time to learn to type on a physical keyboard, it takes time to learn to type on a touchscreen.

Many a BB user with physical keyboards boggle at how quickly I fire off emails and messages on my Storm. And I'm slow compared to many iPhone users I know when it comes to typing.

[WillieLee]

comScore never provided their methodology and RIM doesn't report their December numbers until this month. The smartphone segment is growing yet many still try to spin it as if the manufacturers are fighting over an established market.

If you feel like wasting some time you can go back and find all the analyst articles that stated the Palm Pre was stealing RIM sales in the summer and Palm was set to become major competition. How did that one work out? Same as the iPhone 3GS and the Droid. All propped up as the phones that would see the BlackBerry die, yet RIM keeps selling record numbers of units.

It's a market that keeps getting bigger and RIM continues to grow with it.

[oasissux]

I'd venture to say you are the one in denial. Until you take the time to learn how to type on a touchscreen, you have no idea. Just like it takes time to learn to type on a physical keyboard, it takes time to learn to type on a touchscreen.

I guess I'll have to spend even more time using my iTouch. I can't believe I haven't learned how to type on it yet.

Thanks for the tip.

[qbnkelt]

Numbers for any one quarter are poor predictors of failure or success. It takes trending to see that. For some industries or commodities trending can be identified over two quarters, but that's not really written in stone.
Someone posted a really interesting chart a while back that went back to '06. In that chart, you could easily see RIM's dips and recoveries, over time, in relation to other platforms. What was really interesting about that chart was how it clearly depicted RIM's dips, recoveries and stabilization over time. I don't remember where it was.

But here is the thing - a Ford is a Ford is a Ford, it's survived the entry of so many other manufacturers that have proved quite worthy competitors and others that been jokes. Even within Ford. Take the Ford F150 and the Pinto. One success, one dismal failure. Different types of vehicles, but my point is that there are different products for different needs. I see RIM able to maintain that *unless* it refuses to see its need to become more agile.

RIM's corporate core will remain with RIM for the near future. There are extended contracts out there, and let's face it, some of RIM's corporate core is not interested in changing what is working for them. When I sit in a meeting and everyone whips out their berries to silence them, they end up on their notepads, vibrating along. The vast majority also have a personal device they whip out to silence, and most of those are also personal berries. So...they will use what the business provides and is happy with, and they will buy what has become familiar. That's what happened with me and I'm most definitely not unusual.

And I'm more than certain that RIM is aware that they need to move. This will be an interesting year. They've got some critical releases coming. They will be indicative of RIM's agility.

[iPhoneLoyalist]

I agree RIM as a company won't be stopped by Apple, HTC, or any other Android Manufacturer. Research In Motion has a loyal fan base in the Business Customer. Although some businesses in corporate american, and abroad have chosen to jump on the Apple iPhone train, it is few in far between compared to RIM's customers.

On the Consumer battlefield i honestly don't think RIM will ever compete with the likes of an Apple iPhone or a Google Android. The reason I say this is because these smartphones are geared to that respective customer base, and will remain geared to them through thick and thin. Although Apple has clearly taken great strides in making their software available for corporate america to adopt, and in my personal opinion done a fine job of it, major corporations are ready to rock their workers cubicles with the changing of smartphones, and the way they are accustomed to communicating with co-workers, and families.

Apple and Android win the consumer forefront and RIM takes corporate for sometime to come in my eyes.

[JoelTruckerDude]

God, this whole "Iphone vs BB vs Droid" is about as old as my Grandmother, when are people gonna grow up and realize it's a FREE world and has the right to choose whatever phone, device, toy, pc, vehicle or anything else that suits their needs or wants.

[LazyStarGazer]

WillieLee brings up an important point. The smartphone market is expanding. HUGE.
Therefore, for the sake of argument, a manufacturer with a market share of 45% would see increased sales in an expanding market, if their market share stayed the same.

To see future trends, you would have to ask more specific questions.

A.
Among existing smartphone users:
1. Are they staying loyal to the brand they currently use, or buying a competitors? You would need a year or two worth of data to predict a trend with any accuracy.
2. Are they consumer/personal users or business/corporate?

B.
Among new smartphone users (never had a smartphone before):
1. What brand did they buy?
2. Again, personal/consumer use or business/corporate.

Knowing the answers to these questions would be a good indicator of future sales trends for device manufacturers.

Another 2 cents.

[qbnkelt]

WillieLee brings up an important point. The smartphone market is expanding. HUGE.
Therefore, for the sake of argument, a manufacturer with a market share of 45% would see increased sales in an expanding market, if their market share stayed the same.

To see future trends, you would have to ask more specific questions.

A.
Among existing smartphone users:
1. Are they staying loyal to the brand they currently use, or buying a competitors? You would need a year or two worth of data to predict a trend with any accuracy.
2. Are they consumer/personal users or business/corporate?

B.
Among new smartphone users (never had a smartphone before):
1. What brand did they buy?
2. Again, personal/consumer use or business/corporate.

Knowing the answers to these questions would be a good indicator of future sales trends for device manufacturers.

Another 2 cents.

True...I would add one more variable, which has to do with the consumer market's response to a new device/functionality. While a new device should peak sales then stabilize within a shorter time frame, consumer's response to the introduction of new functionalities would be visible after longer term trending, as you suggest.

We should see some interesting numbers after the new webkit is launched. As far as the corporate, they are much slower to react. The only movement I've noticed is away from the 8830WE towards the 8520, as old contracts end and are renewed.

[anon(13322)]

Sigh. This debate again! I wish people understand you have the right to choose whatever phone you like. It all depends on your needs. Both the iPhone and BB have their flaws. Its NO SECRET that once the iPhone is available on all carriers, it will undoubtedly take over RIM market share. Most companies can barely keep up with the iPhone on ONE carrier. Let's be realist here.

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[BoldtotheMax]

I don't get these debates/arguments on what phone does this or don't do that or my phone is touch, so of course it is better! Or I have a qwerty keyboard, so my phone is superior! Blah, blah....just be happy with the phone you have. I like the fact that there are many options out there for many different people. For me I love my Bold 9700 and honestly does more than I need, the extra's are a plus. I would probably feel the same with an iPhone, unfortunately I have big hands and have a hard time using the virtual keyboard. Also the fact that it is only sold through AT&T, which is horrendous around my area. Also the battery life is a huge no-no for me as I don't want to have to carry a charger with me everywhere I go. I can go almost 3 days with normal wear on my 9700. Now, I would love to have a better browsing experience like Apple has and all the cool Apps, which RIM lacks in compared. So IMO, each phone/phones do different things and just need to go with what works for you.

Like I said, I love my Bold 9700, yet I would love to have an iPhone as well.

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