iPhone versus BlackBerry in SA

both the BB & the iPhone are unique in their own rights & should. not even be compared! Yes, BB BIZ is a plus. But that does not make it a better phone
 
The BB marketshare will drop the minute you have unlimited data package with any of the other phones at the same price.
 
The Iphone is ridiculously Over priced compared to what the BB can offer you at a quarter of the price.
 
I read this article a short while ago and clearly BB needs to do something to compete with the Iphone and Android or its life span is limited. People are no longer just looking to read email. Once they experience more of what a phone can do like on the Iphone and Android, being a good email reader which the other phones now do - life span is limited for growth for RIM and BB.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/26/business/26views.html?_r=1&scp=8&sq=rim&st=cse
 
keru said:
The BB marketshare will drop the minute you have unlimited data package with any of the other phones at the same price.
Click to expand...
Bit of a perfect storm scenario? You'll need unlimited data, plus a smartphone, for R169 pm . . . in South Africa. :)
freematrix said:
I read this article a short while ago and clearly BB needs to do something to compete with the Iphone and Android or its life span is limited. People are no longer just looking to read email. Once they experience more of what a phone can do like on the Iphone and Android, being a good email reader which the other phones now do - life span is limited for growth for RIM and BB.
Click to expand...
Isnt that why they're developing their touch screen range?

BTW I'm not entirely sure what this something is that my bold is supposed to be doing that it isnt.
 
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I think this author does not know what he is talking about when he says that the iPhone has a difficult email interface......wtf, you have to be a retard to think that iPhone email is difficult. When you sync your iphone with your computer - all your email settings get transferred across to your iPhone !!!!! there is NO setup. Then if you want to do email, push the email button, and all your email will start coming in.....how difficult is that ?
 
Apple's strategy in SA is universally stupid. One distributor (who is completely rubbish); one provider of the iPhone (vodacom). It's almost as if whoever does the strategy deliberately wants to make less money and give Apple a bad name.

From a functionality point of view, the BB may edge slightly ahead on mail integration, but if you're a corporate you need a BES server which is pricey. Otherwise, can someone explain why mail is so much better on a BB? What does it do that the iPhone doesn't?

I had a BB Curve, and actually really liked it. Then RIM brought out the Storm... How a company can expect customers to remain loyal to them after releasing such a piece of rubbish, I'll never know. I had mine and hated it from the moment I turned it on. I challenge anyone who has a Storm to disagree. The newer ones are pretty good, but for me it boils down to the whole package. Ipod, browser that actually works well, usability, etc...
 
hammell said:
Apple's strategy in SA is universally stupid. One distributor (who is completely rubbish); one provider of the iPhone (vodacom). It's almost as if whoever does the strategy deliberately wants to make less money and give Apple a bad name.

From a functionality point of view, the BB may edge slightly ahead on mail integration, but if you're a corporate you need a BES server which is pricey. Otherwise, can someone explain why mail is so much better on a BB? What does it do that the iPhone doesn't?

I had a BB Curve, and actually really liked it. Then RIM brought out the Storm... How a company can expect customers to remain loyal to them after releasing such a piece of rubbish, I'll never know. I had mine and hated it from the moment I turned it on. I challenge anyone who has a Storm to disagree. The newer ones are pretty good, but for me it boils down to the whole package. Ipod, browser that actually works well, usability, etc...
Click to expand...

Apple did not really set out to have that strategy for SA. After all Apple did not bring the iPhone to SA, Vodafone did.

From a business perspective they sold exclusivity rights to Vodafone.
Remember exclusivity worked for them in the USA *initially*
Whether that is the right decision in the long run, I don't know.

Now if you want to talk about how Apple neglect SA, thats another story and we will probably agree
 
I want a iphone 4..looks awesome...worried about the faulty aspects tho.

prolly stick with blackberry cause of all the iphones bad press...
 
TheMightyP said:
+1 I have the same experience with my wife. Initially she was not happy with me for changing her phone - but it didn't take long at all, and now I very much doubt she'll go back to a normal phone again.
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Amazing how many of us are using 'me missus' as the benchmark.

I too have a similar experience.
Mine used to use cell phones for calls and SMS.
She got a Blackberry Curve, set it up herself (a first it's usually my job) and has never looked back. She uses Blackberry IM extensively as well and moved all her staff onto BB.
Then it broke and went in for repairs. She then stole my iPhone for 3 weeks and was reluctant to hand it back.
Her phone comes up for replacement on Oct and she is getting an iPhone 4. She prefers it but really both work well.

So both phones pass the 'idiot test' (don't tell my wife I said that)

In short, both are damn good devices.
Saying which is better is a matter of taste.
Cost wise, well in SA, BB is a better deal. Competition should sort that out.

When does the iPad hit our shores? Will the cell networks offer contract deals?
 
Speedster said:
I think the big difference is simply the pricing. The low end BB is very affordable as far as smart phones go, while the iPhone is ridiculously over priced. Maybe if we could get an iPhone for R120pm with unlimited on device browsing and some free minutes to boot we'd have a couple more around.
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yeah, even R199 per month with unlimited browsing.
but we'ld not get past a cash element for such a plan, R2000 to R4000 depending on the model.
however retailers think about how much they can get from one sale instead of how much they can get from 1000's of more sales if they made it easier for us

Phillip
http://phillipgibb.com
 
Service providers must hate RIM.... :)
Think about it...Do you know how hard it is to get auth to sell BB...hardware layout etc...leased lines to Europe and UK...plus they steal all your data revenue :)
BB's downfall is the app store...only a handful off apps....they are even more restrictive that Apple...
 
Without unrestricted access to the iTunes store (including music) the iPhone will never have the same market penetration here as it does overseas. Here it's almost just a glorified pretty phone.

Juice
 
Speedster said:
I think the big difference is simply the pricing. The low end BB is very affordable as far as smart phones go, while the iPhone is ridiculously over priced. Maybe if we could get an iPhone for R120pm with unlimited on device browsing and some free minutes to boot we'd have a couple more around.
Click to expand...

I don't ever see that happening - or perhaps not in the next year or two maybe, but that's dependant on how badly Android moves in on iPhone territory.
Apple is all about exclusivity and "the niche" product and it's been working for them for years now.
The cost of the handset alone is stumbling block for many, then still the pricing on the contracts - not going to happen... soon.

Blackhand said:
I'll give the most definitive reason for slow iPhone uptake in SA, Vodacom's ridiculous pricing.
Click to expand...

+1000 more to ya ;)

keru said:
The BB marketshare will drop the minute you have unlimited data package with any of the other phones at the same price.
Click to expand...

Is there any other handset maker which makes provision for a network to handle it's devices? No. So until that happens - no - you're pipe-dreaming.
The day VC or MTN comes along and throws out contracts with "unlimited data" on any other handset is the day pork takes to the sky.
Though - you have to note, that all contact phones do have unlimited data - you're just going to pay through your arse to use it though ;)

All this discussion about price led me to thinking; for SA specifically (and it can perhaps be extrapolated to the international market)

But here we go: As time goes by Apple (if they wanted to) would look to expand the iPhone's market share - but how?! With the price being that high?
What about an iPhone mini?
We've seen an N97 mini, SE X8?
Why not have a iPhone with a slide out keyboard?
Why not have something entry level?

Perhaps Apple will move that way - Android is making in-roads into the global market with phenomenal growth - Nokia to me seems like a dead beat brand already.
Fanboi's are only going to keep Apple going for so long - or there may well just be enough brand loyalty to keep them going.

But FFS, the design, the antennagate saga, the design! WTF is the iPhone5 gonna look like? Oval?
 
well, if there's one thing that goldstuck does well, it's represent the sentiment of the average consumer.
him and jenny crwys williams.
 
To be honest I dont think Apple is completely at fault for the low market share here locall in ZA. If you look at apples process iPhone 2G/3G/3Gs all launched with a $200 - $300 price tag. As a newer version comes out (every year looks like it) the previous model's price drops to $99.

Anyone selling iPhone 3GS's for R800 - R900 here locally??? Let me know :P

Personally I think that's a great model as it will bring the "overly" priced deviced into more peoples hands. Only problem is, apple is marketed to the higher end market while BB is marketed to everyone. (Duh go figure who will win??) (R8k+ for a phone?? they smoking socks if they expecting higher market share!)
Locally it seems that they outprice apple products by 50% or more. Which is rediculous!! Hence I buy grey stock or import myself from friends and family overseas. Local se ma se ****!
So Apple and Jobs really need to look at what is going on here in ZA when not to busy playing with their anntenaes :P

BB vs iPhone is not at WAR simply because there was never a War. It won hands down. Our of 10 of my friends 8-9 have BB's nowadays... All I see on FB status updates is "this is my bb pin add me"...
Just like the Vuvuzela is proudly South Africa, BB is a house hold name and now a de facto standard for most people looking to buy/replace their mobile phones...
Its also moving in to the Enterprise Space and they going big there! Here at work they offer the BEM server for email push for employees with BB's, yet when I ask them to allow iPhone integration to the mail server over standard IMAP or pop3/smtp they throw a hissy fit! Talk about cell phone racism :P

Also you can't compare the BB to an iPhone. I use the iPhone because it works super well. Much better quality everything and the range of applications is beyond amazing. From Person Info Managers to Golfing apps with range finders and digital scorecards etc..
I also find the touchscreen keyboard much more effecient and productive than any "key based" handset. Surprisingly QWERTY on a touch screen is faster than QWERTY on a keypad?? I know its shocking but it's true...

After further research i've found that most of those "productivity apps" for the iPhone are available for the BB. apparently... So iPhone has more entertaintment apps than usual... Some cool most rubbish!

Now you can also pair Bluetooth keyboards to iOS 4 devices... which is great. Also after i've updated my 3GS to iOS4 multi-tasking is a dream!!
Skype stays on 24/7 and I seem to be using my skype more than my Voda cell...

One thing I hate about the BB is the fact that it has made people super anti social. I am sitting with my friends and talking or chilling and these people's phones go *****ing bzzz bzzz bzz all the *****ing time...
That blerry BB messenger is a curse I tell you! I actually got quite annoyed on SAT night with one of my mates coz he would not stop *****ing using it!! I had to take it from his hands and switch it off!

I thought people on MXIT chatting to each other in the same room was bad, but this BB is even worse!!

Anyhow I think the author got it wrong. You should be comparing the overall's companies Strategies and range of devices and their respective market share, instead of directly comparing device with device.
Apple only has 1 phone. The iPhone. 2,3,4 irrespective. The 3Gs has been out for over a year and no one has really come up with something to a close second. Not even by a long shot. Nexus one, droid x, storm, etc... Not even close...

There just is no competitor to the iPhone 4... I've yet to see one or play with one...

I will be forking out the $$$ when the iPhone 4 is out hands down. Even if I have to put that stupid sticket/plaster for the antenna problems I will. Vodacom's networks suck anyways so its nothing new...
It works. It has great features. Its a pleasure to work with day in and day out... The only thing I wish they would add is interchangable batteries... I go through electron juice like mad.
A round of 18 with the Golfcard app uses just over 20% (not bad) but could be better... During the world cup when I was flying from city to city those 2 hour flights from jhb to cpt got quite boring...
Pulled out the movie on the phone and started watching... But add a bit of 3G browsing in to the mix and say goodbye to battery!
I've even become accomstumed to reading on the kindle app for iPhone. I love this phone so much I need therapy!!

I like to justify iPHone ownership like this:

iPhone is for those users who buy GFX card compared to people who use intergrated graphics on the MBoard (coz they dont know better) :P
While I am "talking" at 60 FPS x 1920 x 1080 with max settings on including bloom effect :P people with BB's are "talking" at 800 x 600 :P

Also how does the author forget such an important piece of information regarding RIM!! All BB's have been banned in the Middle East (Saudi and UAE that is)...
That should considerably dent its market share quite a bit!??
Hell I even converted my sister to the iPhone. She was die hard BB. After she got the iPhone she now die hard apple... (relatively...)


I do think in the long run Android will surpass and take over Apple and iOS 4/5 whatever... That whole build your own Android app using a WYSIWIG web editor is beyond amazing.
I think after a 2 years worth of dev and teething problems they probably will over take apple at some point. You can't beat open source whether you like it or not!
Closed proprietary systems always end up failing. They might make sh*t loads of $$$ but they never around long enough to be king of the hill.

I dare not say Microsoft's days are numbered :P

Ever since good ol' Bill has stepped down Mr Ballmer is caught napping. First with windows 7 tablets and now with Mobile 7... And we still havent seen anything yet??? For the first time ever I dissapointed at MS! Get with the *****ing program guys...
Dishing out 90 000 devices to your employees wont make the phone any better!!!
 
This thread is going to turn out into an all out war.
I use my ipod touch to browse the web while I watch tv and my 9700 is a messaging machine.

The apps etc for iphones are just there to make it look cool, you get over them very quickly. The blackberry with its unlimited data plan, BBM and facebook integration beats the iphone any day. If I wanted to do everything I do on an iphone I wouldn't be able to afford it and I need a propper qwerty keyboard!
 
BB days are numbered

BlackBerry destroys the iPhone on its home ground, namely e-mail management
Click to expand...

FALSE - was true 2 years ago.

BB was the first good device at doing corporate based push e-mail.
Today iPhone and Android do push, render e-mail better and provide a superior user experience, with access to the GAL, folders, etc.

The BB user interface is very plain and primitive - try navigating folders on a BB.
The BB can't even display html mails correctly!

I've just dumped my Bold 9000 (with OS5.0) for an Android 2.1 device, the Android is way better - I used the 2 devices in parallel for 3 weeks.

As far as "free data" goes on the BB - it's a scam - for MTN - some of the data is charged for - Try youtube on your BB, use a 3rd party GPS app, etc, and see the data being charged for.

I've loaded a R50 Data bundle, which on MTN gives me 75MB, and a OOB rate at 65c/MB.
Yes, it's more than BB, but at least I can actually do more than just basic mail.

The American trend where iPhone and Android are replacing BB will apply to SA and the rest of the world in 12-18 months - In the UK this trend has already started.

Also RIM's firmware release policy leaves lots to be desired - no change logs, and "leaked" firmware updates.
 
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