Does iPhone Hurt BlackBerry?

If Changewave Alliance members are an accurate reflection of broader market trends, sales of Apple iPhones do not hurt sales of Research in Motion BlackBerries, Curves and Pearls. Since January 2007, it appears the percentages of new phone buyers who plan to buy either an iPhone or RIM device have increased fairly steadily, with Apple retaining a slight edge in buying intention.

Of course, things could change once poll respondents actually go to the retail outlet to buy. But the poll suggests that the iPhone is not hurting RIM's handset sales. Instead, sales of smart phones seem to get a boost. Among brands, it most likely it is Motorola devices that are taking a hit.

BlackBerry Consumer Push

Research In Motion's move into the retail consumer market, including lifestyle features such as television, music players, cameras and Facebook social-networking software, is a good thing for consumers. That that includes a goodly number of professionals and workers who use email a lot for work.

Obviously a consumer device has to be priced lower than a "business class" device. But one thing I do notice, as a "business" BlackBerry user, is that the keyboards being supplied on devices such as the Pearl and Curve have a distinctly unpleasant feel. RIM might be doing this on purpose, but the feel of the keyboard is as important to this user as the keyboard is on a PC.

Every other element of the experience is outweighed by this one fact. Again, RIM might be doing that on purpose, to differentiate the market segments each device appeals to. If so, it's working. The 8800 class of devices are the only ones with a tactile experience I can tolerate. That's one way to create differentiation of user experience, I will say.

The omission of cameras and so forth also are design features intended to make the 8800 appeal to enterprises. But sometimes it comes down to other simple features. Like the feel of a keyboard.

Verizon Shows its Hand: Four New Phones

We will start to see what Verizon ihas been thinking as it reportedly turned down the iPhone and the rumored GPhone as well. There are business model issues to consider, of course. But there also has been speculation that Verizon had something in mind to satisfy the iPhone segment of the market.

Perhaps we will start getting our answers soon, as Verizon has introduced four new phones with high visual appeal, built by Samsung, Research in Motion and Lucky Goldstar.

The new Samsung Juke, BlackBerry Pearl, LG Venus and LG Voyager are being launched simultaneously. That's sort of like responding to a cannon shot with a salvo.

The "Juke," Verizon's name for the Samsung U470 and reportedly features 2 GBytes of storage, A2DP Bluetooth and a 1.3 megapixel camera. The Juke will be sold exclusively by Verizon Wireless and will be available in blue, red and teal at launch.

BlackBerry will contribute a new Pearl model with a 2 megapixel camera, A2DP and a 3.5mm audio jack. Tinted silver, a color exclusive to Verizon Wireless, the BlackBerry Pearl 8130 has built-in GPS.

The dual screen "Venus" slider by LG features a miniSD expansion card slot, A2DP, a 2 megapixel camera and touchscreen capabilities, including vibration feedback. Available in both black and pink, it features one screen with vibration feedback. It also offers a microSD memory port that accommodates up to 8 GB of expandable memory.

The LG Voyager features a large external touchscreen and a QWERTY keyboard, plus a second screen. Verizon says the phone will feature a full HTML browser, microSD expansion card, 2 megapixel camera, A2DP and built-in stereo speakers. The Voyager will be available exclusively from Verizon Wireless. There is a removable microSD memory slot that holds up to 8 GB of memory.

Juke, an ultra-narrow phone that comes in three colors and is shaped like a chocolate bar, is said to be aimed at fashion-conscious users who don't need heavy email or Web surfing. Voyager most nearly squares up with the iPhone, but also appears better suited for heavy email and text usage. The new Pearl appears aimed at work users who want to carry the same device with them in their roles as consumers.

Verizon Wireless has not given exact pricing beyond saying each phone would target a different segment and range from under $100 to about $400.

New Sprint Handsets Q4

Sprint Nextel Corp. will deliver four new wireless handhelds by year's end, including the HTC Touch, featuring touch-screen capabilities similar to Apple Inc.'s iPhone.

The Palm Centro features a full keyboard and touch-screen navigation, while the BlackBerry Pearl 8130 has its SureType keypad of both numeric and alphabetic keys interspersed. The fourth phone is the LG Rumor, featuring a typical phone touch pad and a separate slide QWERTY keyboard.

The Touch allows users to "sweep their finger up the display to launch an animated, three-dimensional interface comprising three screens: Contacts, Media and Applications."

HTC Touch also relies on Windows Mobile 6 Professional as the operating system and most likely will be a quad-band device supporting GSM, GPRS, EDGE and EVDO-A, plus Bluetooth 2.0 and 802.11 b/g Wi-Fi.

There's a sort of odd disquiet out there right now in the VoIP world. It's almost as though VoIP has become something like broadband access. One expects it to be there, but there aren't too many important issues to ponder beyond that. Indeed, any number of other issues now seem to require attention, including various ways to unify communications. Hence the greater interest in all forms of fixed-mobile convergence, presence, communications enabling basic business or consumer processes. Mobility itself now seems more germane than VoIP, in many respects.