RIM spokesman confirms BlackBerry Storm 2 launch in 2009 and novel input method

I was responding the James comment about Blackberry Storm overtaking iPhone. I was not arguing the demographic and type of apps. Regardless of how you feel about “flash”, it is what is selling the device, and has made it a powerhouse in the relative short time it has been to market compared to WinMo and Blackberry. My comment was mainly about marketshare. My argument still stands. BlackBerry Storm will not overtake the iPhone as James has suggested simply because the app market has gravitated to iPhone, plain and simple.

@FrankCastle who said: “Now I know you are upset that Apple’s cool factor is starting to look old hat and yes iPhone 3.0 and their amazing tablet are due in the summer but I can bet sales will be flat and the only people buying new versions of iPhone are the SAME people who bought iPhone, iPhone 3G”

I would have to take issue with your assessment as well. There are large orgs who have migrated to iPhone 3G system-wide though, naturally, their numbers pale in comparison to those on Blackberry. If Enterprise and security needs are further addressed within 3.0, those numbers will only swell over the next 18-24 months. RIM needs Apple to push the envelope so as to make Blackberry a better product for consumers -and- for Enterprise.

It’s not a zero-sum game, after all [despite what the mouth-breathing trolls would like reality to resemble].

I can speak to the enterprise side as that is what I support (21,000 employees) Exchange, BES etc.

iPhone 3.0 doesn’t include any new security. I have the beta running now and while it’s got some great stuff for consumers and lite business professionals it’s still not quite up to Blackberry strength.

Unable to save documents / or edit to the device
Calendar Free / Busy

No device level encryption
No device management
No policies to lock out functionality you might not want used
No ability to audit SMS

There are options to provide this but it further extends the TCO as you need a dedicated infrastructure. When you already have Exchange, Mobile device Manager and BES the last thing you want is yet another box to manage, pay maintenance on. Why doesn’t Apple ask MS for full ActiveSync and Mobile device suppport?

If Apple put out a Blackberry connect client – you would see a ton of enterprise adoption but wwe know what is not about to happen.

@Chris

I agree with backbeat and Frank. I don’t want to spend a lot of time playing on my phone. Even BGR had a report that most apps and games are used a handful of times and then ignored.

Personally, with a data plan I only check my email or text, check information and maps when traveling, listen to music and watch a movie on an airplane. That’s really it. And most importantly, I want to do this on the Verizon network, not on AT&T.

I understand that I am in a limited subset of customers. I’m old, busy, and don’t like to look at tiny text forever. If I want to do anything else, I’ll find a computer with a screen that is bigger than 4 inches square. But I expect there are a lot of people like me who could give a crap about how pretty the iphone software looks. We just want to get our information so we can get on to doing other things.

@ChristopherCox: There’s no real argument that iPhone has won the apps game. Who knows what the future will bring? Neither one of us, just as neither of us knew to what degree the App Store would succeed or fail 2 years ago.

However, that is not to say that Blackberry could not ride that wave as well, if produced properly. I, personally, don’t believe RIM is willing to commit the resources required to compete on the same scale anyway. But, if RIM is able to achieve their targets on a quick-paced schedule, anything could happen.

BTW: My definition of “shiny object” is about flakey consumers who follow whatever grabs their attention for 30-seconds. Feature-phones are built around that low-brow premise. [No, I don't consider the iPhone or its apps a shiny-object in that sense].

For the record, I love Blackberry and always have. I currently have my curve and pearl. I was just arguing that the Storm will not overtake the iPhone. And I really wish RIM would stop positioning it like they can. Both devices target different markets. My Blackberry makes a much better (currently) communications device (messaging, email, etc) while my iPhone 3G makes a much better mobile computer for getting information and entertainment.

I think the point is it doesn’t have to overtake or beat iPhone. It’s one option in a suite of devices.

@Frank,

I completely agree with you. They are two devices for different markets. iPhone will never replace a BlackBerry device for someone centered around email and messaging, just as BlackBerry will never replace an iPhone device for someone centered around full feared apps and entertainment. Have you seen the Blackberry counterparts to iphone apps? When you mention BB has facebook, shazam, and others … they pale in comparison to the iphone versions. They are nowhere near the same quality or in feature set.

“I can bet sales will be flat and the only people buying new versions of iPhone are the SAME people who bought iPhone, iPhone 3G”

Add AT LEAST one to that number. I intend to get one (currently using BB Pearl, contract recently ended). I like how it combines multiple functionalities in one device, and I think a few of the Apps are exceptionally well done (I’m happy to hear that Shazam is available on the BB platform, since it is one such App). For me, the iPhone is a HUGE step up from the Pearl. I’m not saying that the Storm 2 won’t be, but I will have to see. I certainly found the original Storm to be extremely disappointing.

Maybe I will be the only addition to the iPhone using ranks, but somehow I doubt it.

…Lets not all forget that one advantage that both winmo and bb have over the iphone, the ability to multitask. I really dont think RIM wants to knock the iphone off the top of the heap, as many here have said they are for two different markets. It’s Apple thats going after Rim’s market with the iphone (kids DO NOT need exchange support). I for one feel that it’s good to have companies competing as it leads to more options at the consumer level. I think we all need to stop compairing apples and orange and realize that the storm is the storm and the iphone is the iphone. Although to be completely honest i do see the iphone as more of a multimedia phone than a true to life smartphone.
*awaits the bashing*

Multitasking is one of the biggest reasons why there is a negative impression of WinMo. You talk to a good portion of regular consumers about WinMo and they will tell you it crashes alot, is slow, and always runs into memory problems. Not to mention bad battery life. Now, I know, and you know, that these problems can be cured by closing out of all of your programs you don’t need. But the average consumer does not care about that kind of management. All they do is run apps, use them, and put the phone back in their pockets. iPhone is a Unix based OS and because of that is a lot better at multitasking than WinMo is. They made a decision NOT to allow it for good reason. And with push notification for apps coming an app can notify you of changes while not running in the background saving batter power. Advantages of not allowing multitasking are stability overall and battery life because the apps don’t have to constantly use the processor or have several apps all using the network at the same time in the background. I hope Apple never allows multitasking. A good push update is more than sufficient.

SO, when they say september, is it this september or september of 2010?

i for one never really understood the comparison between apples and berrys. like others have stated, they are different divices for different types of users. i wouldn’t (in its current stage) consider the iphone a smartphone just like i don’t consider the storm (in its current stage) a multimedia phone.

there is one thing that is bad news for iphone as batteries is not removable if got frozen or any other problem. Blackberrys does have it and if blackberrys does have as many apps that iphone do then blackberry will be a huge advantage over iphone for sure.

iPhone == Wii
Blackberry == xBox 360

could the Storm 2 be getting an auto-correct feature? Similar to the iphone/itouch?

none of my win mo apps are old an archaic.. ill tell what they are tho.. usefull how many iphone apps are.. 90 percent fit in these 3 cats ifart useless, games, and apps that do what a webpage already does..

I totally agree with the editing feature in Black Berry Storm. I’ve been struggling with the text feature of Iphone especially if you are used to Nokia or Sony Ericsson brands.Wait till you see the integrated and WiFi feature and the improve SureTouch feature. These new features will definitely redeem Storm.

Btw, I just want to share this information I found which is definitely useful for Storm users. There is an All Blackberry Storm Apps that do not require any compatibility mode. It has a Cool Call Blocker application, useful tip calculator, Typing speed application, a bartender app that tells you what drinks you can make based on what you have in your kitchen and even a super-quick and bright
flashlight app!

This is a must have for Blackberry Storm fanatics!

^Thanks for the dignified “contribution” to the Blackberry Storm2 topic.

I hope the next Storm also gets a little lighter. I owned one for a couple of weeks (went back to my Curve due to too many crashes/hard reboots of the Storm). The Storm is a bit hefty on the weight side.

Of course, my previous post was directed at ‘celz’.

Nice post editing by the mental premies-in-charge.

I love my storm

ASAP

Iloveemy blackberry its my baby but i resently just got the eye phone and i think tht my blackberry is better <3 xox