BlackBerry OWNED

[Homeslice]

Why BlackBerry Users Will Defect
by Mike Schuster
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
provided by MarketWatch

Despite bells and whistles, the device misses the 'fun factor.'

Call it a matter of touch-screen envy, but many BlackBerry users are starting to feel the 24-month-contract itch.

And they're willing to switch to Apple Inc.'s (AAPL) iPhone or Google Inc.'s (GOOG) Nexus One, according to a recent study.

Conducted by the online market researchers Crowd Science, the survey results show that Research in Motion (RIMM) BlackBerry users are more likely to abandon the brand than iPhone or Android users. When asked of the likelihood of buying a particular brand of cell phone or smartphone if the purchase was made the following day, 39% of BlackBerry owners said they "definitely or probably would" nab an iPhone. And roughly one-third of the participants claimed they'd snatch up an Android phone.

Meanwhile, the fierce Google-Apple war seems to have bled into the user base.

An overwhelming majority of iPhone users -- 92% -- would likely stay loyal to the Apple device, and only a tad fewer Android owners -- 87% -- made a similar claim.

However, Apple zealots who unleash a fervent hatred for opposing teams may have met their indignant match. While 15% of iPhone users "definitely or probably would not" recommend an Android device, a whopping 45% of Android users would never dare give Steve Jobs' baby a thumbs up. Whether that's a product of outsider's scorn or buyer's remorse, the study didn't pose the question.

But as the battle between Apple and Google rages on, BlackBerry users look on with a degree of envy.

Despite commanding a hefty lead over the iPhone in the smartphone market share -- 42% versus 25%, respectively -- the numbers for RIM have begun to drop, along with Microsoft's (MSFT) Windows Mobile and Palm (PALM).

According to comScore, RIM's market share dropped a percentage point in the fourth quarter of 2009 from the third quarter, and Apple's rose 1.2%. PCWorld's Tony Bradley calculated that, given the same rate of rise and decline, Apple could surpass RIMM's market share by February 2012. And buoyed by the success of the Motorola (MOT) Droid, Android showed the biggest gains -- rising 2.7% to 5.2%.

Crowd Science Chief Executive John Martin addressed the study in the company blog. "These results show that the restlessness of BlackBerry users with their current brand hasn't just been driven by the allure of iPhone." He added, "Rather, BlackBerry as a brand just isn't garnering the loyalty seen with other mobile operating systems."

So what's the allure of the competitors? Why are BlackBerry users more willing to jump ship?

BlackBerry has long been the choice of tech-savvy executives who are wirelessly tethered to their jobs. But as evidenced in the study, only 7% of BlackBerry owners still use their device exclusively for work. For years, the smartphone has ceased to be merely associated with work -- an evolution that Apple played a large role in influencing. However, the BlackBerrys, the Palm Treos, and the Windows Mobile devices never successfully adopted the veneer of "recreational smartphones" nearly as well as Apple or Android.

Put simply, iPhones, Droids, and Nexus Ones just look like more fun. And as the "fun factor" became a significant reason why smartphones became as popular as they did, any manufacturer still focusing on the business aspects fell out of favor with users.

What's the appeal of a physical keyboard if the iPhone can remember where you parked? Why use Microsoft Exchange when the Droid works seamlessly with Gmail -- a service more businesses are using anyway? Is there a point to waiting for a BlackBerry version of an app that has dozens of variants available in the App Store or Android Market?

Unless a new BlackBerry device sheds the brand's stodgy work image, RIMM is going to miss out on all the fun -- and customers.

[Trip]

I am one of those users waiting desperately for the Nexus One to come out on Verizon so I can dump the Blackberry Storm. It's a piece of shit.

My wife's Storm 2 is nicer, but it's still a lot of the same crap.

[Gas Man]

IDK... I have played with both iphone and android platform... I'll keep my BB

[Particle Man]

they've turned into Toyota and Honda - building safe instead of innovative.

[Amber Lamps]

I actually agree with this article. I had absolutely no need, use or desire for a smart phone but I have to admit that I was brought in by all of the other stuff you can do with my phone.

[dReWpY]

Originally Posted by Amber Lamps

I actually agree with this article. I had absolutely no need, use or desire for a smart phone but I have to admit that I was brought in by all of the other stuff you can do with my phone.

this

[derf]

having lived through 2 years of a blackberry for work, 2 years of a windows mobile phone, and now 2 weeks with android. My android device is much more user friendly, versatile and all around better. So far the down side to my android phone (t-mobile my touch) is the dismal battery life. I feel like I am constantly charging it.

As to the functonality of the phones, the BB and the WM phones have keyboards, great I really like keyboards. The android doesn't but the more I use it (and the more screen keyboards I try out, the more I like it. I still want a physical key board, but I found one that invisibly changes key sizes based on the letters it expects you to type. The iphone has always done this. I also discovered the swype function on the android keyboard, basically you just slide your finger over the letters you want and it recognizes the word you are typing. I havt quite got the hang of it yet, but the first few times I have used it it works great, but I start forgeting where letters are after a few words.

Windows really is lost in the background, its just crappy. they tried to make the phone into a mini computer rather than a smart phone, windows mobile 7 might just change that.

The Iphone is great probably the best all around system available packaged in a very good phone, but the restrictions that apple places on the system, (screw AT&T), and some of the restriction on the software available (I want naked women apps, and the ability to tether it to my laptop).

-Blackberry is great, but it is missing the people, the applications, and the online support that Iphone and android have.

And android is the new boy on the block but has shown signs of being a big player, the software is great and the open source ideas of it are great, but there really are 2 problems, both have to do with too much choice. Android needs to upgrade everybody at the same time, I understand that olger android phones (G1) have a hard time with android 2.1, but something needs to be done. There are 5 or more versions of it out there, and not all applications work with all the versions. The next big problem is the android app stores, the problem being storeS, and not all stores are equal. I have seen some programs that are free in one, $.99 in the next, and $2.99 in the third. Both of these apple has solved by standardizing hardware and with the Iphone app store. but android is open source, I have tried a dozen free keyboards, a tether program to use it as a mobile modem, and a game called XXXtic tac toe (try it, it's cool).

[Curb]

once i get back from Africa this summer, I will be defecting from the BB to either the iphone or the nexus one...hopefully the nexus will be available on ATT, if not its the iphone for me

[Amber Lamps]

Originally Posted by Curb

once i get back from Africa this summer, I will be defecting from the BB to either the iphone or the nexus one...hopefully the nexus will be available on ATT, if not its the iphone for me

Already available.

[Trip]

You can roam on some of Verizon towers. Sprint doesn't use both of the freq Verizon uses so you can't roam on all their towers.