We’re all Blackberry site readers and have seen or discussed many reasons to prefer the Blackberry over the iPhone. I have many reasons of my own. But certainly there are enough reasons for the opposite switch. Certainly iPhone fans have plenty of argumentation beyond the mere “cool factor” to convince a Blackberry lover that the iPhone is a much better phone than any other phone can ever aspire to be.
Or do they?
A deep and broad view of the other side is a very interesting thing to me and Casey Chan wrote exactly that just a few days ago. Of course I agree and disagree with a lot of what he wrote and I won’t go into all the specifics, that would be too boring. You should read the article and take your own conclusions if you think the topic is interesting. But to kick-off the discussion a little, I would like to point out two things that really called my attention:
1) The intangible: Casey Chan breaks down his argumentation in 10 main aspects. Three of them are remarkably “abstract” therefore extremely subjective: design, innovation and “The Present Future” – you’ll have to read it to understand what he means by “The Present Future” and hopefully agree with his concept. The remaining seven aspects concern physical characteristics of each product and thus are closer to objectivity, but not as much as I would like. It really seems that Apple fans can’t get over some sort of dreamy, conceptual mannerism in their thinking. For Apple fans, it’s not so much about what you can actually do here and now with the product in your hands as it is about how closer to certain ideals the product can make you feel. Suddenly I realize why one of their products is called “Air”…
2) I think that Casey Chan was right on target in two aspects: “consistency” and “OS”. Especially the latter. I don’t quite agree with his criticism of the Blackberry OS per se, but he says something that RIM really deserve to hear:
Too many things on the Blackberry were “on the verge” of being fixed and I was told to “just wait for the next OS” too many times. I’m glad that Apple shook up the phone market because it makes companies like RIM react, competition creates two roads: innovation or extinction.
He is right, except that perhaps RIM should be reacting even more and faster.
ESON Not Registered
Posted: May 27, 2008 at 9:45 PM EST
Very intresting topics about Apple & Blackberry, It’s all fruit. I love fruit….
lance Not Registered
Posted: May 28, 2008 at 3:33 AM EST from my BlackBerry 8310
iPhone sMyphone. I’m unlocking my Curve next month and giving it to my daughter when I gladly lay down full price for my Bold. RIM forever.
Greg Myers Not Registered
Posted: May 28, 2008 at 4:57 AM EST
The testing time for BlackBerry vs iPhone will be with the release of the “3G iPhone vs BlackBerry Bold”. If Apple introduces enterprise email onto their platform as planned then the iPhone will be in contention as a viable business tool.
I think the next couple of months will be a interesting time for both manufacturers.
Ron Not Registered
Posted: May 28, 2008 at 8:22 AM EST
As long as iPhone data/phone plans are ridiculously high I’m sticking with my T-Mobile Curve. I’ll wait and see what offerings are available in a year or two. The iPhone touchscreen looks great, but I doubt I’d want to type with it very much.