Report: BlackBerry Curve overtakes iPhone as most popular smartphone

Mon May 4, 2009 10:23AM EDT

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Chalk it up to the fact that the Curve is available on the four biggest U.S. carriers, not to mention a two-for-one sale on Verizon Wireless. Also in the top five for the first quarter of 2009: The Storm and the T-Mobile G1.

The NPD Group just released its U.S. smartphone sales numbers for Q1, and according to their numbers, RIM had BlackBerrys in three of the top five positions, and managed to topple the iPhone 3G from the top of the list.

Despite its early launch woes, the touchscreen BlackBerry Storm appears to be selling strongly, coming in a No. 3 on NPD's list behind the Curve and the iPhone 3G. 

After the Storm comes the ever-popular BlackBerry Pearl—which, like the Curve, is available on all four major U.S. carriers—followed by the Android-powered G1 on T-Mobile.

So, how did the Curve manage to overtake the iPhone 3G? Well, as the NPD group notes, availability on all the big carriers always helps (the iPhone is, of course, still only on AT&T), as well as its $99 (with a new two-year contract) price tag. Meanwhile, Verizon Wireless probably helped boost Curve sales with its "buy one, get one free" promotion, according to NPD.

And here's a potentially worrying trend for Apple: the NPD found that RIM's share of the smartphone market rose a solid 15 percent to a full 50 percent, while both Apple and Palm (which didn't land a handset in the top 5) both saw their shares fall 10 percent.

Of course, it could be that smartphone shoppers are holding off on both iPhones (given that a new model might be announced as early as next month) and Palm handsets (seeing as the red-hot Pre will likely go on sale in a matter of weeks).

Then again, never underestimate BlackBerry, which still has some of the best smartphones in the business and has price and availability on its side, whereas the cheapest, AT&T-only iPhone 3G remains at a somewhat lofty $199 (with contract).

[Image credit: Dan Ruettimann Photography/Sprint]

Related:
RIM Unseats Apple in The NPD Group's Latest Smartphone Ranking [NPD Group]

 

 

 

Comments on Report: BlackBerry Curve overtakes iPhone as most popular smartphone

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  • 66 Posted by craig.dksh on Mon May 4, 2009 4:05PM EDT Report Abuse

    Did you know that IPHONE forces quotas on the foreign carriers on the number of purchases. That will affect the sales numbers as well.

  • 67 Posted by lowelljettjr on Mon May 4, 2009 4:05PM EDT Report Abuse

    All cell phone manufactures should have to sell to all Cellular Service companies. Exclusive agreements hurt the consumer and destroy competitive markets. Having to sign a contract with a Cellular Service company does not make sense either... the user should buy the phone and be able to change carriers monthly.

  • 69 Posted by craig.dksh on Mon May 4, 2009 4:08PM EDT Report Abuse

    taydiablo3 , did you have a spasm in your finger on the ENTER key or what? You have enough entries?

  • 70 Posted by g8crapachino on Mon May 4, 2009 4:09PM EDT Report Abuse

    Oh Please. Some of you people are so pathetically stuck on your Apple fanatisicm that you can't handle the facts and try to ridicule the author, Patterson, for simply reporting it.

  • 71 Posted by craig.dksh on Mon May 4, 2009 4:10PM EDT Report Abuse

    Apple products are expensive toys for non-business people

  • 72 Posted by choun@rocketmail.com on Mon May 4, 2009 4:11PM EDT Report Abuse

    i would take one 16Gig iphone over 10 of those BB whack ass phone any day, BB just a bunch of iphone copy cat.

  • 73 Posted by craig.dksh on Mon May 4, 2009 4:13PM EDT Report Abuse

    choun, your IPHONE is an expensive media toy! BB is for business! Two different purposes entirely!

  • 75 Posted by owignal on Mon May 4, 2009 4:20PM EDT Report Abuse

    The President of the United States along with other world leaders sport Blackberry phones so what do you expect would happen...This is the biggest marketing campaign for Blackberry. I'm about to go out and get one for myself.

  • 76 Posted by wckelly60 on Mon May 4, 2009 4:21PM EDT Report Abuse

    You use a Blackberry for business and an iPhone for games. To be blunt, the iPhone is another toy from Apple. While waiting for a show to start on Saturday evening I got to watch two iPhone users. One was playing two different card games. The other was Google-ing something. That's been my observation of the typical iPhone user... it's a cool toy.

  • 77 Posted by dell_dude1100@sbcglobal.net on Mon May 4, 2009 4:21PM EDT Report Abuse

    To have an iPhone legally requires a very costly contract on AT&T's network, which is why many settle for the Blackberry Curve. Its a great phone with or without internet access.

  • 78 Posted by wckelly60 on Mon May 4, 2009 4:22PM EDT Report Abuse

    Near as I can tell, Choun has never used a BlackBerry. "Whack ass phone" eh? Now there's a cogent business analysis from a giant in the industry.

  • 79 Posted by bdl0715 on Mon May 4, 2009 4:27PM EDT Report Abuse

    I would love to have an iPhone, but will NEVER go to AT&T to get it.

  • 80 Posted by wckelly60 on Mon May 4, 2009 4:28PM EDT Report Abuse

    I'm sorry, owignal, but Barry Obama is not the reason I chose a BlackBerry. In fact, he almost made me switch to another 3G unit from Palm.

  • 81 Posted by tis_bob on Mon May 4, 2009 4:28PM EDT Report Abuse

    Oh, and the iPhone REQUIRES a data package of at least $20 for the 2G iPhone and $30 for the 3G iPhone and the Blackberry does not absolutely require it. That alone may persuade some people consumers towards a Blackberry over the iPhone. Feature attachment rates for consumers on Blackberries remains very low.

  • 82 Posted by wesley.whitsell on Mon May 4, 2009 4:30PM EDT Report Abuse

    I hate to break it to you buddy but the iphone is just smoke and mirrors. I can absolutely punish my blackberry physically and it won't stop working. I can only imagine the short life a touch screen phone would have in my house. The world needs a phone that will stand up to anything. the iphone just won't. Besides, the blackberry does video. does the iphone? haha nice try.

  • 83 Posted by bigaldogg on Mon May 4, 2009 4:31PM EDT Report Abuse

    Typing on the Iphone is like walking on water. They need a slide out keyboard like the Palm PRE. I had both and chose to keep the curve over the Iphone simply because of the keyboard

  • 84 Posted by craig.dksh on Mon May 4, 2009 4:31PM EDT Report Abuse

    Hey, I was at a go-go bar last month and I saw the head of AT&T dating a shemale.

  • 85 Posted by kupriaa1 on Mon May 4, 2009 4:32PM EDT Report Abuse

    hey guys i think what the professor is trying to say is that the iphone's processor is not fast enough to perform the complex mathematical calculations that are necessary for current "desktop or workstation" class computers. Its not to say they cannot run those applications- any computer with a processor can run an application - the question is how fast and how complex? No current smartphone on the market is comparable to the equipment found in a computer - hence the professor's term "toy". Which to some degree is correct.

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