BlackBerry Curve sales trounce Apple iPhone

Posted by Al Warmington on Tue 5 May 2009

Has the bubble burst, or are consumers holding out for iPhone 3.0?

Sales data from US research group NPD has revealed that RIM’s BlackBerry Curve knocked Apple’s iPhone off the top spot in the first quarter of this year.

It’s not much of a surprise in the sense that BlackBerry has ruled smartphone sales for a number of years, but more of a shock when you consider that iPhone was the top selling handset in the third and fourth quarters of last year.

So, sorry kids: the stats say that the iPhone’s touchscreen is totally 2008 and all the latest gadget buyers prefer their handsets to rock a QWERTY keypad and trackball. Although that won’t be for long as RIM has reportedly shed its ubiquitous trackball in the new BlackBerry Curve 8520, opting instead for an optical trackball.

NPD put part of BlackBerry’s success down to its aggressive Buy One, Get One (free) promotion which undoubtedly helped shift more of its devices. Added to that, BlackBerry’s smartphones are available on more US networks than the iPhone.

Then there’s the fact that Apple has long been speculated to be preparing a new handset for launch this June, which may have encouraged potential buyers to hold fire and see what new features Jobs et al. have hidden away.

Link: BlackBerry (via Reuters)

Buy one here: Vodafone | BlackBerry | Pre Pay Mania

50 Mobile phone apps to change your life