3G Blackberry Waiting on 3G iPhone?

By Casey Chan
last updated

In another round of the RIM vs Apple bout for smartphone supremacy, Scenta reports that RIM may be stalling their 3G Blackberry because of the impending release of the 3G iPhone. Though Fortune suggests that it is a technical glitch that is causing the delay, some rumor mongers are assuming that RIM is holding out on releasing the 3G Blackberry dubbed the 9000..er..8900.er.."Meteor" because it's afraid of competing head-to-head with Apple's next iPhone.

Admittedly, this rumor could just be analysts stirring news against RIM, but it goes to show how far Apple has come in becoming a player in the cell phone market. And if there is some truth to this speculation, its another knock on RIM and the rest of the smartphone industry. Innovating has never been their strong suit, copying innovation, well that's another issue.

Casey Chan
9 Comments
  • And if there is some truth to this speculation, its another knock on RIM and the rest of the smartphone industry. Innovating has never been their strong suit, copying innovation, well that's another issue.
    Read more at http://www.phonedifferent.com/2008/04/3g_blackberry_waiting_on_3g_ip.html
    How is waiting for Apple's dog and pony hype show to blow over "lacking innovation"?
    Are you actually implying RIM is waiting to copy Apple's 3G technology at the last minute?
  • Frighteningly I agree with Surur. There is never an advantage to being second to market unless you are going to copy-and-surpass. If apple does something interesting and surprising with the 3G iphone, it would take RIM a year to copy it. (And I'm pretty sure we all know what the 3G iphone will be at this point)
    They are far better off releasing first if they could.
  • The iPhone does seem to hog the limelight and you can see how coverage of RIM's new device could get lost in a tide of iPhone 3G/2.0 reporting. OTOH, if a decent proportion of those iPhone stories include some reference to an imminent new Blackberry that will compete, that could give it a fair bit of free publicity and build some buzz. Perhaps RIM have earned a little from Apple?
  • marcol -
    so why not introduce it FIRST, is the point. once apple hype begins, rim won't get any press other than "oh, btw, rim has 3g too."
  • marcol -
    so why not introduce it FIRST, is the point. once apple hype begins, rim won't get any press other than "oh, btw, rim has 3g too."
    It could just be that they are not ready. Unlike what many here seem to think, with only 0.6% of the market, the handheld world does not revolve around the iPhone.
    Surur
  • You mean RIM wants to sell "obsolete" (TM Surur) smart phones even longer than Apple??!!
    LOL! Satiric genius again!
  • so why not introduce it FIRST, is the point. once apple hype begins, rim won't get any press other than "oh, btw, rim has 3g too."
    Wait for iPhone hype to pass (ok this may be the weak bit of my argument :)) but also piggyback it was my point. Most likely it just isn't ready though.
  • It could just be that they are not ready. Unlike what many here seem to think, with only 0.6% of the market, the handheld world does not revolve around the iPhone.
    For sure, but in terms of media coverage the iPhone punches way, way above its market share.
  • Allow Gruber to retort:
    Why Market Share and Revenue Are Bull[$#!t]
    John Gruber
    Yesterday, 3:29 PM
    Motorola’s quarterly results: 27.4 million phones sold and $7.45 billion in revenue. But the bottom line? A $194 million loss.
    What matters is profit; market share and revenue only matter insofar as they lead to making money. Motorola sold 16 times more phones than Apple for at least 8 times more revenue — but is there a person on the planet who would trade Apple’s phone business for Motorola’s?