A new study shows that mobile smart phone devices by RIM / Blackberry outsold the iPhone during the first quarter of 2009, mainly on the back of a two-for-one promotion by Verizon Wireless.

The NPD Group, a marketing research organization headquartered in New York, has released a new study showing that the iPhone lost its smartphone momentum in the United States against the Blackberry line from RIM. Not only was the iPhone sent to second place overall behind the Blackberry Curve, three of the top five places went to Blackberry models, according to a story on Electronista.com. The top five spots in the quarter, according to NPD, are as follows:

1.Blackberry Curve 8300 series
2.Apple iPhone 3G
3.Blackberry Storm
4.Blackberry Pearl
5.Android G1

The report goes on to say that both the Curve and the Pearl are much more widely available than the iPhone and that both are considerably less expensive. Even the Storm, which is only available through Verizon, is said to have benefited from consumer preference for that carrier. The report also singled out a two-for-one campaign that Verizon ran on the Curve, as well as the fact that the Pearl is often given away free by several carriers.

The smartphone is a rapidly-growing segment of the overall wireless market,  now representing about a quarter of all wireless sales. RIM / Blackberry have positioned themselves well with the Curve and Pearl, especially since both phones are available from almost all U.S. carriers in one form or another, and that they are much less expensive than the iPhone.

For the iPhone to compete with these less expensive (and less able) mobile platforms, it is critical that Apple expand the availability of the phone. The AT&T wireless image and network are now holding the iPhone back. Apple could do well in the smart-phone market with just AT&T, but if they were to offer the upcoming iPhone line through other U.S. carriers as well, and especially through Verizon, they could easily run away with the smartphone marketplace.

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Entry was posted on Monday, May 4th, 2009 at 3:35 pm under News, iPhone.  Print This Post

Read more entries by Michael W. Jones.
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