RIM dethrones Apple as US BlackBerry sales in Q1 soar
While RIM’s next-generation handsets such as the Bold, Storm and Curve 8900 are already flooding the marketplace — and a new wave including the Tour and Curve 8520 are on the horizon — it looks like RIM’s bread and butter is still the trusty old Curve 83xx series. According to recent analysis by The NPD Group, the BlackBerry Curve was America’s best selling smartphone in Q1 of 2009. It steals the title from the iPhone of course, as sales slow from its incredible pace last year. The NPD Group cites aggressive promotions such as Verizon’s popular BOGO offers as the catalyst behind the surge. Here are the top five smartphones in America this past quarter:
- RIM BlackBerry Curve (all 83XX models)
- Apple iPhone 3G (all models)
- RIM BlackBerry Storm
- RIM BlackBerry Pearl (all models, except flip)
- T-Mobile G1
RIM, holding three of the top five slots, shipped an astounding 7.8 million BlackBerry handsets in its last reported quarter (Dec 08 – Feb 09) so this hardly comes as a surprise. With several new BlackBerry models on the horizon and at least one new iPhone model due out this Summer, things are definitely starting to heat up in the US smartphone space.
Yep, this is one of the worst times for somebody to renew their contract. I can’t wait for where the market is going!
Oh, the benifits of being on more than one carrier…
…The curve that is.
Also, although the Iphone may not have the top sale spot, I’m sure they’re still reaping rewards from ATT for exclusivity. All in all, I’m sure Apple is topping that list in net profits
I love my Bold. Where is that BoyGenius Blackberry app.
where’s the PALM PRE at? I have a feeling it won’t crack the top 5.
That’s mighty funny that the Curve 83xx is the best selling handheld for 1st quarter 2009 . . . but it’s NOT going to get the 5.0 upgrade.
That’s pretty damn sorry. And yes, I’m one of the “losers” who bought a 83xx last quarter who won’t get to bask in the 5.0 goodness.
@Dustry
I wouldn’t be so sure. RIM gets a portion of the BlackBerrry data plan fees. They have some costs because of all the services, but I’m sure that on the whole it’s profitable. The Storm is also a Verizon exclusive, meaning they’re getting money there too. I’d say RIM makes more money because they have so many devices, and a larger base of existing users giving them data revenue. The Curve is also a couple years old now, so it’s a very high margin device.
Why is the iPhone a smartphone? Doesn’t it not even have background processes? Is that coming in 3.0? Does anyone have an actual definition of a smartphone?
take that fanboys… take that..
go rim, go rim
@B,
So are you changing the definition of what a Smartphone is to suite your ideals against iPhone? Because a Smartphone has NEVER been classified as its ability to run background tasks. It was never something people complained about until iPhone came out. Generally, a phone considered a smartphone is a mobile device with personal computer like functionality and a platform for running high quality applications. The iPhone has apps that rival the ones on other platforms and works better than any other device when you want personal computer like functionality. This is one of the reasons why the world seems to be developing apps for iPhone like crazy.
The lack of background apps is a good thing, especially in 3.0 when push notification comes out. This way, you can run applications like instant messagers full time WITHOUT sacrificing any battery power, yet the application can notify the user in real time if something new happens. This is what most users want in background apps. On my BlackBerry I rarely run BeeJive in the background because the battery drain is noticable. On the iPhone this will not be an issue, and you still get background notification. So I can run as many programs as I want and they can all notify me. This is something you CANT do on other mobile platforms. Try running 10 background programs that all use the network and tell me it won’t kill your battery.
Its really tough to compare Rim with Apple since Apple is exclusive to one carrier and all. Apple is stupid to extend or renew the deal with att(if they will) sell it on att but sell it elsewhere too.
On the other hand Rim sales will only grow from here because they are learning to bring product to the market much quicker and developing devices for different segments of the market. All this competition means one things cooler and better phones for us.
Daddy like
Posted from BGR mobile(Bold)
@1adonis1: Agreed…on both points. Especially the second one.
Oddly though Apple stock keep rising and rising even though it’s all quiet on the western front. It’s at 132 and it hasn’t been here since like early last year when they were dishing out the future. Unlike now where they’re dishing out..dust. Odd.
But RIM better move their ass and bring out that TouchScreen Bold before Palm begins to regain some market share cause those two touch screen devices are pretty impressive. A little on the slower side, but its the concept that counts. Look at the Iphone.
its the design, stupid. its the form factor, that is so appealing.its incredibly handy, fits in the palm of your hands. pitt it against the 8800 series with the sharp edges feels like your holding a piece of wood, or the bold, while the best BB to date software speaking, its still a beast.
add to that the availability on multiple carriers you got yourself a winner. thats why the 8520 will be a success, its similar, and follows closely the 83xx style.
if only apple can look at these numbers and when the ATT contract ends, they should know what to do. coming in 2′nd while on 1 carrier can translate into a pot of gold when available on more carriers.
Congrats, RIM!!
@joecurve,
Its not the design that is appealing. It is not the form factor because it frustrates me more than any other smartphone I have owned (no keyboard, fingerprint magnet). What appeals me is that the applications for it far surpass anything I have ever had on any of my Windows Mobile or BlackBerry devices. It behaves more like a personal computer than any of them. The apps are of extremely high quality and next generation. Which is why developers are flocking to the platform like crazy. No other device has application support like the iPhone from developers despite the crappy appstore fees and policies.
By the was a BB addict, I’m amazed that storm sells this well, I honestly think its Rim’s worst effort, but that conclusion comes from my limited usage maybe other regular users think otherwise.
People seem to like touchscreen phones, eventhough it will never truly replace an actual keyboard, I hope that Rim will never become touchscreen only.
^^ should read ” by the way as a BB addict” BGR is taking longer than bold on att to bring the edit comment function.
@ cristopher cox
oops…… i was referring to the BB curve.
yes, its a slow motion vehicle but it has a good design. (not the most fashionable one, that one is reserved for the Iphone.)
how long does the curve been on the market humm lets say 2 years ?? thats impressive
Five Words
BUY ONE GET ONE FREE.
That, and the lack of carrier restrictions is the only reason for these figures.
@joecurve,
Yeah … it isn’t a very sexy device (the 8300), but the new 8900 looks pretty good IMHO. I have my iPhone, but I take my curve with me as my main messaging and email device.
@damiaking,
BlackBerry devices have lasting power that’s for sure. The devices that don’t last long at all IMHO are the ones based around Windows Mobile. My Tilt felt outdated a few months after having it, as did my Dash and MDA when I was with TMobile. I don’t know what it is … lol
Come on. You crazy. Nobody can really argue that push notification is better than background apps. Consider how a chat program like beejive is going run via push notifications. How will people know when you are online or offline? You are going to get a string of messages in the form similar to a text msg? What about maps? That’s obviously not going to work. What about a syncing app like funambol?
Apple is not going to stay with push notifications. Its an interim solution, that apple does not intend to stick with. You’re suggestion that push is better is comedic.
I run multiple apps on my berry and although battery life is affected, I still get a 2 day charge, which is more than enough.
In sum, the inconvenience of plugging my phone in once every two says outweighs the inconvenience of not being able to do more than one thing at a time.
Get real.
@Jordan
If it is so crap how come RIM announced the same thing today?