The theme of this week, as it seems to be many weeks, is RIM vs. its closest competitors. The iPhone has seen an increasing marketshare, and it’s such a sexy device that people like to predict that it will soon overtake the old, stuffy BlackBerry. Now that Android is gaining traction, pundits have plenty more to discuss. Will Apple and Google soon rid the mobile space of RIM? Hardly. But people will continue to talk about it.
RIM’s not really losing, though
The easiest way to frame the debate of BlackBerry vs. iPhone vs. Android is to take a look at the numbers. Rik Myslewski at The Register did this, examining the top smartphone platforms in the past two three-month periods. That is, September through November 2009, and then December 2009 through February 2010. If you listen to commentators who forecast RIM’s doom at the hand of Apple, you might be a bit surprised.
That table shows RIM gaining market share, while Apple actually lost a bit. It’s not a lot, and probably not much to show concern over. In fact, it might as well have been flat. That’s the point, though. Apple did not gain market share over the past two three-month periods, while RIM did. Android, predictably, made the biggest gain, and with a number of high-end devices on the ledger over the next few months, including the HTC Incredible on Verizon later this month, it could see similar gains during the current three-month period.
RIM’s gains appear to be at the expense of Microsoft and Palm. Microsoft is planning another stand later this year when they release Windows Mobile 7 Series, but they’re still fighting an uphill battle against powerhouse RIM and the already growing Android. Palm, too, lost market share, despite favorable reviews of the Palm Pre. It would not be surprising to see Palm call it a day in the not so distant future.
If one thing is clear, though, it’s that RIM isn’t going anywhere. The competition with Apple figures to heat up again this summer, as the latter could release a new iPhone, and perhaps one for Verizon Wireless, which would considerably extend its reach. RIM will counter with the Bold 9650 and their first touchscreen slider, among others. For a comprehensive take on this issue, check out this Seeking Alpha article.
Tip of the week: Use shortcut keys to navigate messages. If you have a BlackBerry, chances are you have tons of messages in your inbox. Navigate them more easily with shortcut keys.
Sprint to add Bold 9630 and…Pearl flip?
If you’re a Sprint BlackBerry user and plan to stay with the carrier, you’re in luck. Boy Genius Report has some screen captures of Sprint’s internal equipment list, and the Bold 9650 shows up. That’s not a huge surprise, though, as most devices that hit Verizon hit Sprint as well — with the exception of the Storm, of course. Like the Tour, it figures to hit Sprint right around the same time, though Verizon might get a few days’ head start.
What’s strange about this is that it also includes the BlackBerry 8230. That’s the Pearl flip for those who need a memory jogging. You might remember hearing news about this not too long ago. Verizon, which added the device last summer, dropped it after less than a year in the system. Why, then, is Sprint going to add it? I’m not quite sure. Anyone planning to actually pick up one?
Tip of the Week 2: Let people know when you’ll arrive with OnMyWay. If you have a terrible sense of time, you can use this application to let people know when you’ll really show up. Unless, of course, your plan all along was to deceive them.
inPulse Smartwatch coming soon
It has generated mixed reactions, and I’m not quite sure it adds that much to the BlackBerry, but that hasn’t stopped the Allerta from moving forward with the inPulse Smartwatch. To recap, it’s basically a watch that gives you information about your BlackBerry messages. Linked via Bluetooth, you can see your new message count, and even scroll through messages. It also provides a vibrating alert, perfect for people who keep their BlackBerry in a deep pocket.
We know it will cost $149, and we know it’s coming soon. So who’s getting it?
Wrapping up
Just a few minor items of note:
- In a complete non-surprise, Skyfire will cease BlackBerry development. They might come back when OS 6.0 comes out, but I’m not so sure. With RIM working up a webKit browser, is Skyfire even necessary any more?
- This is fake, just in case you run across it. Also, horrible Photoshop job. I hope they didn’t fool anyone.
- Shop from your BlackBerry. We don’t have many options when it comes to mobile shopping, but here are a few of the early entrants.
- Get a free refurbished Bold from AT&T. Hat tip to BBCool.
This post originated at BBGeeks.com – home to all things Blackberry! Also a great source of info about AT&T BlackBerry.
BlackBerry News From The Wire for the Week of 4/5/2010
This post originated at BBGeeks.com – home to all things Blackberry! Also a great source of info about AT&T BlackBerry.
BlackBerry News From The Wire for the Week of 4/5/2010