[Shekeese]

I have recently had a chance to do a lot of traveling which has opened me up to a lot of foreign tv, media and advertising...and there is something that I have noticed that has rubbed me the wrong way...

Only in America are people Android and iPhone crazy.

Funny thing is, I didn't realize it until I got BACK in America.

Sure there are advertisements for iphone and Androids...but there are Nokia ads and BB ads...I honestly a ton of phones and phone companies that I have never heard of. I honestly didn't even pay it much attention UNTIL I got back in the states.

Suddenly I started to notice EVERYTHING was advertising Android and iPhone. Every commercial offering "iphone and Android" app options...every news show advertising their "iPhone and Android" apps, every other magazine ad...end of a TV show...even at the doctor's office.

I JUST heard it on a commercial before I started typing this on my 9900, which spawned this post. The guy at the end of the short vignette on heart health quickly advised viewers to check out their "iPhone or Android" app before he closed.

I mumbled under my breath, "you would think the only 2 phones in this country are Android and iPhone"...

And then it hit me like a ton of bricks...

The iPhone/Android success has less to do with how good the phones are and much more to do with some sort of American need to "claim" Americans know what's best. And apparently whatever is hot is the best. It matters not what is good...or even what is ACTUALLY best for you...just what's HOT right now.

It holds true with about anything in this country...food, music, news...etc. Nowhere else I've been is everyone talking about Kim Kardashian or even Trayvon Martin...or is Nicki Minaj or Katy Perry songs the biggest hits...or iPhone or Android the only 2 phone options...honestly...there isn't even a constant Mac vs PC argument...because there are so many other options...

This country has placed BB, at a disadvantage I honestly don't think the latest features, fastest software or groundbreaking hardware can fix...

In order for people, in America mind you, to realize that BB is a viable option...is it has to be HOT. If its not perceived as HOT, FRESH or NEW...then it suffers the same fate of every other better but not HOT entity in this country.

Its really sad when you think about it, but we live in a country that is run by a sheep herding mentality...and unfortunately it affects everything from what you eat, watch, wear, listen to...and yes....even the phone that you buy.

[jonathon.94]

I have recently had a chance to do a lot of traveling which has opened me up to a lot of foreign tv, media and advertising...and there is something that I have noticed that has rubbed me the wrong way...

Only in America are people Android and iPhone crazy.

Funny thing is, I didn't realize it until I got BACK in America.

Sure there are advertisements for iphone and Androids...but there are Nokia ads and BB ads...I honestly a ton of phones and phone companies that I have never heard of. I honestly didn't even pay it much attention UNTIL I got back in the states.

Suddenly I started to notice EVERYTHING was advertising Android and iPhone. Every commercial offering "iphone and Android" app options...every news show advertising their "iPhone and Android" apps, every other magazine ad...end of a TV show...even at the doctor's office.

I JUST heard it on a commercial before I started typing this on my 9900, which spawned this post. The guy at the end of the short vignette on heart health quickly advised viewers to check out their "iPhone or Android" app before he closed.

I mumbled under my breath, "you would think the only 2 phones in this country are Android and iPhone"...

And then it hit me like a ton of bricks...

The iPhone/Android success has less to do with how good the phones are and much more to do with some sort of American need to "claim" Americans know what's best. And apparently whatever is hot is the best. It matters not what is good...or even what is ACTUALLY best for you...just what's HOT right now.

It holds true with about anything in this country...food, music, news...etc. Nowhere else I've been is everyone talking about Kim Kardashian or even Trayvon Martin...or is Nicki Minaj or Katy Perry songs the biggest hits...or iPhone or Android the only 2 phone options...honestly...there isn't even a constant Mac vs PC argument...because there are so many other options...

This country has placed BB, at a disadvantage I honestly don't think the latest features, fastest software or groundbreaking hardware can fix...

In order for people, in America mind you, to realize that BB is a viable option...is it has to be HOT. If its not perceived as HOT, FRESH or NEW...then it suffers the same fate of every other better but not HOT entity in this country.

Its really sad when you think about it, but we live in a country that is run by a sheep herding mentality...and unfortunately it affects everything from what you eat, watch, wear, listen to...and yes....even the phone that you buy.

I believe you just hit the nail on the head

[mjs416]

And welcome to the vapid states of america...

[Ben1232]

I believe you just hit the nail on the head

It must be the same everywhere. Its the psychology of the masses or 'sheeple' as I like calling it.

[mokkasins]

This behaviour is not just in US. For example it is the same in Germany.

[anthogag]

Maybe it has something to do with having two parties. People think two is good enough

And it doesn't help at all when every media outlet is reporting RIM's uncertain future.

Microsoft is acting like all it has to do is wait-it-out

RIM can definitely regain market share in the US. Once the new phones come out everything will start to synchronize and there will be an alternative ecosystem

[GingerSnapsBack]

This country has placed BB, at a disadvantage I honestly don't think the latest features, fastest software or groundbreaking hardware can fix...

Sorry, RIM placed BB at a disadvantage by not moving with the times. RIM relied on their name selling handsets and was content to stay with what worked in 2007/8 when 2010/2011 rolled around and as a result, their market share tumbled. It has nothing to do with Americans going on an anti-RIM march.

[madman0141]

You have to understand that the advertising for Apple is rather large here and it is the in thing. Not all of us are blinded by Apple. I am totally BlackBerry and have thanked my Canadian friends for the product and RUSH. I am very sorry you had a bad experience here.

[Economist101]

The iPhone/Android success has less to do with how good the phones are and much more to do with some sort of American need to "claim" Americans know what's best. And apparently whatever is hot is the best. It matters not what is good...or even what is ACTUALLY best for you...just what's HOT right now.

It holds true with about anything in this country...food, music, news...etc. Nowhere else I've been is everyone talking about Kim Kardashian or even Trayvon Martin...or is Nicki Minaj or Katy Perry songs the biggest hits...or iPhone or Android the only 2 phone options...honestly...there isn't even a constant Mac vs PC argument...because there are so many other options...

Good point. I guess that's why Palm did so well against RIM, because it's American. Ditto for MS with Windows Mobile. It's also why Toyota, Honda, BMW, Audi and Mercedes Benz struggle so mightily here, while the American companies have nothing but success (setting aside the bailout and bankruptcies of course).

This country has placed BB, at a disadvantage I honestly don't think the latest features, fastest software or groundbreaking hardware can fix...

Yes, this country placed RIM at a disadvantage. It has nothing to do with the products RIM has released.

Its really sad when you think about it, but we live in a country that is run by a sheep herding mentality...and unfortunately it affects everything from what you eat, watch, wear, listen to...and yes....even the phone that you buy.

Yes, of course. Also sad is this weak attempt to explain the poor performance of a company who, until recently, couldn't even decide on a single CEO. The idea that RIM is struggling because the U.S. is biased against it is one of the clearest examples of denial out there, and is completely unsupported by the facts.

[Spencerdl]

It's called "RIM being complacent".... Last I heard, it takes more work to remain #1 then it took to get there because everyone is trying to knock you off the pedestal and let's face it RIM didn't work hard enough. America has always been geared towards marketing and advertising, this is not new or something that happened overnight, to the OP...Welcome to American reality

[addicted44]

The only reason America is Android/iOS only, and the rest of the world isn't, is because America is leading the smartphone revolution this time, as opposed to being behind the world in mobile (like they were for the past 15 years). It is only a matter of time before the rest of the world is like the US, and Android/iOS dominate.

1 difference that you do point out, however, is accurate, and that is the effect of Nokia. Nokia was never able to break into the US market, but still has a huge legacy base outside the US, which is why you see a lower concentration of Android/iOS phones.

Look at the Table on Pageviews at this location:
Global mobile statistics 2012: all quality mobile marketing research, mobile Web stats, subscribers, ad revenue, usage, trends

iOS/Android are 1/2 in North America, Europe, and Oceana. Not coincidentally, these are also the areas with the people with the highest per-capita income in the world (which, again, explains why BB is #3 here, while not even making the top 3 in the other areas). As the world gets richer, and smartphones get cheaper, iOS/Android will dominate elsewhere also.

Note: I am stating this scenario ignoring BB10...BB10 should change things dramatically, but if it does, you will see the effects first in the US. Also, BB10, if it is good out of the gate, has a huge chance of capturing a large proportion of the market that is upgrading from current feature-phones to smartphones.

[Drayk]

I have recently had a chance to do a lot of traveling which has opened me up to a lot of foreign tv, media and advertising...and there is something that I have noticed that has rubbed me the wrong way...

Only in America are people Android and iPhone crazy.

Funny thing is, I didn't realize it until I got BACK in America.

Ha ha ha....(clapping!!)
Yeah man....I'm feeling this...it's the same ole' spiel....RIM marketing sux, but the product hasn't been what you'd want to call (can't find the words....) Joe lunch box/Suzzie homemaker everyday friendly.
Back in the day, the population that needed to get email was very limited and BB was the only way...nobody disagrees with this fact....
The way the mobile device is used now has changed, and RIM was blind to that. They are the best at what they do/did but they got complacent.
When Jobs wanted to "change the way people used a cell phone"...he did, and RIM sat back w/its big Cuban cigar and Bourbon and said: F it, we don't need this "new thing".
Then along comes Android.....RIM lit another cigar and poured another Bourbon and still stayed complacent.
During commercials on my local news cast, an ad in an anchor's voice will say "go to 9news dot com & download our iPhone or Droid app".....no BB app.
The media is pumping apple & droid because it makes THEM look cooler and down with the in crowd.....one of the cool kids.
I think RIM finally quit cigars and Bourbon, got on "The Patch" and realized they want "back in the game"
RIM's finally gotten off it's azz, started training.....working on the forehand, backhand, serve and they're ready to go the best of 5.
I don't think it's too little too late but it's gonna take a while.....so, RIM & dev's, pump this stuff out and "get us back in the game".....and the media will sell it....

[xandermac]

Maybe "good enough" is exactly that for the rest of the world.

[mud314]

To the OP, tell me...what has RIM done that is so fantastic that we Americans should just hand our money over to RIM?

Are their phones on par with the CURRENT technology of the cell carriers?
Do their phones and tablets offer the variety of apps that the others offer?
Yes, apps do make a difference.
Do they have someone who understands the market leading their company?

Just because the horse and buggy were good in yesteryear it does not mean that they are good today. Guess what bud? The wheel now has rubber and we can now drive around with tons of horses under the hood and get to where we need to go faster. If you are happy living in the dar ages by all means go ahead.

PS bringing Trayvon into this discussion is not necessary, that's a sad situation in FL and thus affecting all of us and the young man needs to respected.

[Shekeese]

By no means did I meant my observations to be a "woa-is-RIM" post nor an attack on Android or iPhone users.


Merely I was pointing out my observations...that in America...the focus is on what is HOT...and what's not deemed HOT...is useless.

It just so happened that I noticed this trend also applies to cell phones.

I believe because of this trend...Americans are steered into believing anything that is bombarded onto them...this place seems more susceptible to "Do As We Do" as opposed to anywhere else I have been.

I really didnt even notice every ad, tv show or program advertising only Android or iPhone Apps UNTIL I returned.

It was the same effect one would have when you havent listened to the radio in a long time...then when you finally go back to it you say "damn, they really DO play the same song over and over." I think me not being bombarded...caused me to have a...lol...cleansing if you would. Lol. And when I cam back...it was easier to notice I was being bombarded.

Which led me to my belief that...at least in America...if it's not HOT it's useless. So it really doesnt matter if it's RIM or WindowsPhone or PALM or Nokia...

If it's not deemed HOT then...it doesnt exist. I also believe this is the same wave BB benefited from when it was the HOT phone of the moment.

Just seems to me, everywhere else BUT America...people are into what's ACTUALLY good or best...not what everyone SAYS is best for you.

[Shekeese]

xqzu - I just wanted to add...that if you look at the specs from the latest WindowsPhone, or BB9900 or any OTHER current phone besides iphone or Droid...it's basically the same specs.

But my point is...right now...in America...it doesnt matter if the 9900 has the same clock speeds as a 4Gs or that Windows Phone is more responsive than Droid....and it wont matter...because it's not HOT in America.

[hootyhoo]

I have recently had a chance to do a lot of traveling which has opened me up to a lot of foreign tv, media and advertising...and there is something that I have noticed that has rubbed me the wrong way...

Only in America are people Android and iPhone crazy.

Funny thing is, I didn't realize it until I got BACK in America.

Sure there are advertisements for iphone and Androids...but there are Nokia ads and BB ads...I honestly a ton of phones and phone companies that I have never heard of. I honestly didn't even pay it much attention UNTIL I got back in the states.

Suddenly I started to notice EVERYTHING was advertising Android and iPhone. Every commercial offering "iphone and Android" app options...every news show advertising their "iPhone and Android" apps, every other magazine ad...end of a TV show...even at the doctor's office.

I JUST heard it on a commercial before I started typing this on my 9900, which spawned this post. The guy at the end of the short vignette on heart health quickly advised viewers to check out their "iPhone or Android" app before he closed.

I mumbled under my breath, "you would think the only 2 phones in this country are Android and iPhone"...

And then it hit me like a ton of bricks...

The iPhone/Android success has less to do with how good the phones are and much more to do with some sort of American need to "claim" Americans know what's best. And apparently whatever is hot is the best. It matters not what is good...or even what is ACTUALLY best for you...just what's HOT right now.

It holds true with about anything in this country...food, music, news...etc. Nowhere else I've been is everyone talking about Kim Kardashian or even Trayvon Martin...or is Nicki Minaj or Katy Perry songs the biggest hits...or iPhone or Android the only 2 phone options...honestly...there isn't even a constant Mac vs PC argument...because there are so many other options...

This country has placed BB, at a disadvantage I honestly don't think the latest features, fastest software or groundbreaking hardware can fix...

In order for people, in America mind you, to realize that BB is a viable option...is it has to be HOT. If its not perceived as HOT, FRESH or NEW...then it suffers the same fate of every other better but not HOT entity in this country.

Its really sad when you think about it, but we live in a country that is run by a sheep herding mentality...and unfortunately it affects everything from what you eat, watch, wear, listen to...and yes....even the phone that you buy.

Yes, this is the only reason anyone would buy anything that is not made by rim. Wow. You finally nailed it.

Or.........

It could be that when I switched to android, that I just wanted a phone that didn't take 10 minutes to reboot after every battery pull or random freeze. Which were frequent occurrences throughout the day.

It could have been that I wanted a phone that had a browser that was functional and fast. A browser that was actually useful on the go.

It could have been that I wanted a phone that did not display an hour glass every time I woke it.

It could be that if such a phone had been offered by rim, I would still be a customer theirs. My business was theirs to lose. I skipped TWO upgrades waiting for them to make their products competitive.

I'm not a blind fan of any particular company. Whichever one works the hardest for my money gets it.

[Majestic Lion]

It's just a difference in corporate approach, I think. US consumers spend more frivolously than almost anywhere else, so the focused advertising in the US is a play for that immediate money. It is almost guaranteed long-term money at this point to invest in places with emerging middle class numbers like Brazil, India and everyone's golden goose: China.

Even now those countries may not have the frivolous spending like the US, but they have more than enough numbers to make up for any difference in profits in the short term. That's why it's pretty much a stupid move to listen to analysts beating the drums of woe about RIM's performance in the US market. If you're making hundreds of billions in the UK, Near- and Middle-East and Southeast Asia, you're not about to sweat a shortfall of ten billion in the US(random numbers, obviously, just for sake of comparison). The US isn't the only place that matters for business.


What that means for the regular US consumers who simply want solid products that work, provide them with a wealth of options and don't want to buy in to the marketing hype that bombards them regularly...that is the question that matters to them. BB10 is going to have to be stellar, and the support ecosystem around it going forward will have to be equally so.

[ichat]

Its an American craze. Its always the decision to go for "WHATS HOT" without looking at anything. The iPad, maybe not the best but still sold as if it was the best. Why? It was the "in" thing. My mom wanted an iPhone for her birthday. What did I get her? A Torch 9860. Yes, it isnt what she wanted but after less than a week of owning it on 7.1, he loved its battery and BBM and everything a Blackberry has to offer. I dont exactly understand the "in" thing because that was the reason my mom wanted an iPhone.

Everyone should realize that they need to get what they want, not something that is "in"

Its like forcing carrots down my throat. I hate them. See what I mean?

[hootyhoo]

Its an American craze. Its always the decision to go for "WHATS HOT" without looking at anything. The iPad, maybe not the best but still sold as if it was the best. Why? It was the "in" thing. My mom wanted an iPhone for her birthday. What did I get her? A Torch 9860. Yes, it isnt what she wanted but after less than a week of owning it on 7.1, he loved its battery and BBM and everything a Blackberry has to offer. I dont exactly understand the "in" thing because that was the reason my mom wanted an iPhone.

Everyone should realize that they need to get what they want, not something that is "in"

Its like forcing carrots down my throat. I hate them. See what I mean?

You mean like the way you decided what was best for your mom and forced her to get a torch.

Got it.

[ichat]

You mean like the way you decided what was best for your mom and forced her to get a torch.

Got it.

Sorry that was wrong wording. I meant I convinced her. She was the one to say the last yes since she was a Blackberry user anyway on a Bold so when I told her about comparisons and each phones strength, she agreed. No exact forcing. Im not that cruel

[IntrnetWonderer]

Its the first world mentality, do what everyone else is doing so you don't sick out. People fear being ostracized, even when it comes to something as trivial as the mobile phone you decide to use. I've used iPhones, some Android devices, and BlackBerries.. I personally prefer BlackBerry, which some of my friends can't get their heads around. Trying to explain that I've made an informed decision, and picked my 9930 for functionality is something that just goes over their heads. "You don't even have Angry Birds? or Temple Run?" is such a common question.. I got an xbox for when I want to play games, and my 9930 for communicating.

[ichat]

Its the first world mentality, do what everyone else is doing so you don't sick out. People fear being ostracized, even when it comes to something as trivial as the mobile phone you decide to use. I've used iPhones, some Android devices, and BlackBerries.. I personally prefer BlackBerry, which some of my friends can't get their heads around. Trying to explain that I've made an informed decision, and picked my 9930 for functionality is something that just goes over their heads. "You don't even have Angry Birds? or Temple Run?" is such a common question.. I got an xbox for when I want to play games, and my 9930 for communicating.

I can't agree more with this. Its true that people want to do virtually everything in their phones even though there are other things meant to do that job. Gaming wise...

[GingerSnapsBack]

I can't agree more with this. Its true that people want to do virtually everything in their phones even though there are other things meant to do that job. Gaming wise...

Not everyone wants to lug a laptop, a TV, an Xbox and a satellite dish around when they want to check email, play Twisted Metal or watch American Idol. A phone that does it all is what people want because it's easier.

[swyost]

It seems the latest thing for the RIM cultists is to American bash because Americans do not seem to like RIM products as much as the alternatives. I am sorry, but this has got to be one of the sillier posts I have seen in some time. Did you even bother to check what Android/IOS market penetration are before writing it. The fact is that it is not only in the United States.

As far as advertising goes, no one is keeping RIM advertising off the air waves - you see volumes of ads from every other player because they pay for them. BTW, those producers of Android phones are all companies based in other parts of the world. With respect to all the ads that reference Android or iPhone/iPad apps, that is because they dominate the exploding smart phone market.

RIM is not at a disadvantage in the US because of shallow American tastes but because they have not been selling products people want. I would also hardly call the tame and borderline puritanical American advertising and media evidence of anything more than we live in a consumer culture. One look at commercials in Europe or the predilection for tabloid journalism in Britain and various parts of Europe make Americans look deep and thoughtful by comparison (not that they actually are anymore or less than others). This doesn't even touch the tech driven advertising and buying habits in Japan. Oh, I guess when RIM was on top of the world, the American tastes were not shallow.