Will Consumers Flip for New BlackBerry?

I love new cell phone releases – a new cell phone makes me as happy as a kid in a candy store! Partly because I study cell phones here at Compete, but I also love these nifty little contraptions and all of the fun stuff we can do with them these days. Every new cell phone model boasts cooler features and smarter applications then its predecessors. Still, the allure of a cell phone comes not only from its features and software, but from the way it looks.

Last week, at the CTIA trade show, RIM (RIMM) announced their newest BlackBerry model. The new BlackBerry Pearl 8220, a flip phone version of the popular original, will appear exclusively at T-Mobile later this year.

Color me excited to see this new wonder added to the ‘miracle’ that is the BlackBerry. A flip version of the Pearl?! (I wonder if John McCain had a hand in this…)

This announcement got me thinking about how others will perceive the new addition to the BlackBerry family.

In August, only about 7% of smartphone shoppers looked at flip phone models. Thinking that this could just be due to a lack of flip phone models in the smartphone space, I took a deeper look at the interest smartphone shoppers are showing for flip phones.

Read as: 3% of smartphone shoppers also viewed the LG Voyager at Verizon Wireless in the month of August 2008.

• The level of interest here is very low – even the popular Voyager only sees interest from about 3% of smartphone shoppers
• The flip phone most interesting to smartphone shoppers, the LG Voyager, is itself a smartphone

So, based on the interest (or lack thereof) that smartphone shoppers are showing in flip phone models, the immediate outlook for this new BlackBerry Pearl flip phone is a little bleak.

However, now that BlackBerry is offering a flip phone, it’s possible the numbers will tell a different story in the coming months. Clearly they’re going for a new look to shake up the classic look of a BlackBerry. Could this be the start of something big for smartphone shoppers across the country? Will we start seeing more flip versions of smartphones? I’ll be watching the new model releases with excitement!

Comments

[Get Out of ...:]

With rising economic pressure on consumers it will be interesting to see if people are willing to part with their cold hard cash for a new cell phone.

2008 Sep 22 04:50 PM

[Epsilon:]

I suppose the fact that RIMM is aiming for a lower price here may be more important than the form factor in this phone's sales.

2008 Sep 22 06:32 PM

[fatcat:]

In the coming economic climate,both RIMM and AAPL are $35 stocks...at best...

2008 Sep 22 09:49 PM

[Hayweed:]

With $21 in cash, that would give Apple a pe of 3. Fatchance fatcat but you might be right on Rimm

2008 Sep 23 12:35 AM

[ido:]

with cellphone subsidies not going away anytime soon and the cyclical nature of carrier contracts, there is always a new flood of people needing to upgrade their device. even in economic turmoil, i would guess people are willing to part with $100 to get a new phone (usually after 2 years, your cell phone is done anyways). this isnt about converting smartphone users into flip smartphone users, its about bridging the gap between people who wouldnt normally buy a smartphone because of an unfamiliar form factor.
the new flip from blackberry is one cool phone, well see if the market accepts it - i would guess yes.

2008 Sep 23 03:44 AM

[snarfuffle:]

This will appeal to the Japanese market and phone user. The Japanese user base prefers a flip model phone and is a large reason you see very few in their hands both in the states and in their homeland.

2008 Sep 23 12:52 PM

[chitown00:]

i personally can't wait for this to launch. i always wanted a blackberry for the excellent email capabilities, but hate having keys exposed. i like to flip my phone closed and slide it into my pocket. plus, no candy bar phone will ever feel as comfortable when actually using a phone as a phone and calling someone. i have looked at other flip smartphones, but having it be a blackberry makes the choice simple.

2008 Sep 23 03:56 PM