BlackBerry Bold vs. Apple iPhone: Two Very Different Experiences 13 comments
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Comparing the BlackBerry Bold and iPhone is misguided because Research In Motion Ltd.’s (RIMM) 3G smartphone is targeted at upgraders, professional consumers and business users, while Apple Inc.’s (AAPL) popular device focuses on media-centric consumers. It’s kind of like comparing steak and lobster, RBC Capital Markets analyst Mike Abramsky told clients. They’re both tasty, but offer completely different experiences.
He said:
For productivity-centric buyers, the Bold may be preferable to iPhone, whose touchscreen may deter frequent email users.
He added that the Bold should also offer superior, IT-approved work e-mail integration.
In terms of pricing, the analyst said the cost of the Bold in North America is acceptable for healthy uptake. While the iPhone goes for C$199, the BlackBerry Bold is priced at C$399 from Rogers Communications Inc. (RCI) and a yet-to-be determined amount at AT&T (T). Mr. Abramsky expects RIM’s touchscreen Thunder will be unveiled in September with a launch in October and it will cost the same or less than the iPhone.
With the global smartphone market estimated to grow from 100 million users today to 400 million by 2010, it appears that there will be enough customers to go around for both Apple and RIM. Pitting them against each other misses the real opportunity, which is to take market share from incumbents like Motorola Inc. and Nokia Oyj, the analyst noted.
He forecasts RIM will grow its market share to 3% in 2009, up from 1% in 2007, while each 1% of the global handset market adds 40% to its revenue and earnings per share.
Mr. Abramsky rates RIM shares at “outperform” with a $165 price target.
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This article has 13 comments:
"Two very different experiences"? I'm sure they're different, but different where? How?
There's a brief, blink-and-you'll-miss-... mention of different targets users, without any further explanation, and an oblique comment on "superior" email in the BB, without any detail. And... that's it.
To the author: Was the actual meat of the article dropped somehow? Because I'm looking at some parsley and a slice of lemon, with nothing else on the plate.
That's about all the positives I can think of.
iPhone= today's and future technology with huge potential
Let's face it; RIM is in for the fight of its life. Not just from Apple; but from all the other smartphones that are leaving it in the dust.
They have had two years to take on the iPhone and this is the best they can do? There is little or no difference to it's previous offerings and I don't see them getting any new traction from this device.
One reviewer says it can't even view graphs made from tables in Word.. so much for satisfying the businessman.
And surely everyone needs full html email? No the Bold delivers a reworked version of html, throwing away all the hard work put into creating the original.
Forget it.
iPhone is the ultimate internet tablet computer, with a great phone, ultimate iPod, great web browser/email, and a growing collection of applications which the blackberries will not be able to rival.
IT approved email? That's ridiculous, the iPhone has better support for monopoly email (microsoft outlook/exchange push email) than blackberrry. All your blackberry email has to do through RIM servers. iPhone works directly with your exchange server.
RIM could grow for a while, who knows, but I don't expect they can keep up very long. Tactlie keyboard is good for email, but iPod on screen keyboard is very slick as well, and doesn't take long to adopt.