Research In Motion’s BlackBerry Curve was the best-selling smartphone in the U.S. in the first quarter of 2009, taking over the ever-popular Apple iPhone 3G, according to The NPD Group.
RIM’s consumer smartphone market share rose 15 percent from the prior quarter to almost 50 percent of the entire market in the first quarter. Apple’s and Palm’s respective market shares dipped 10 percent each.
The ranking of the top five best-selling smartphones in the first quarter was:
- RIM BlackBerry Curve (all 83XX models)
- Apple iPhone 3G (all models)
- RIM BlackBerry Storm
- RIM BlackBerry Pearl (all models, except flip)
- T-Mobile G1
The surge in the BlackBerry’s popularity in the first quarter is attributed to a forceful “buy-one-get-one” promotion by Verizon Wireless.
“Verizon Wireless’s aggressive marketing of the BlackBerry Storm and its buy-one-get-one BlackBerry promotion to its large customer base contributed to RIM capturing three of the top five positions,” said Ross Rubin, director of industry analysis at The NPD Group.
Rubin added that the Curve was “more familiar, and less expensive” and was also helped by “its broader availability on the four major U.S. national carriers.”
Jeff Bertolucci at PC World has his doubts about the sustainability of RIM’s strong quarter.
“Verizon certainly won’t continue its costly two-for-one giveaway forever, which should result in a slide in Curve sales,” Bertolucci wrote. “As for the relatively new Storm, its popularity will ultimately be determined by consumer word of mouth. If everyday users agree with the pros that the Storm doesn’t cut it, sales will fall.”
He explained the iPhone’s 10 percent loss of market share as the result of rumors of a new and better iPhone on the horizon, causing potential buyers to wait and see what happens.
Bertolucci also expects the Palm Pre to steal market share from both RIM and Apple.
Regardless, Verizon Wireless seems poised to benefit from the smartphone market in the coming months, and maybe years. With the BlackBerry 9630 nearing its release on the carrier, and with rumors of the iPhone making its way to Verizon Wireless, bright skies might be ahead for the network.
Sources:</strong
http://www.npd.com/press/releases/press_090504.html
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-10232698-94.html
http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/2009/05/npd-the-iphone-is-second-fiddle-to-rims-curve-in-q109.ars
http://www.pcworld.com/article/164317/why_blackberrys_lead_over_the_iphone_wont_last.html
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