RIM's BlackBerry range is the most successful smartphone platform of 2010 in the UK, according to data by GfK.
Using data exclusively from consumers sales channels (ie the networks and consumer electronics stores), the research concluded that not only did BlackBerry handsets command 28.2% of all smartphone sales in 2010, RIM also managed to gain 36% of the Christmas sales, with over 500,000 shifted.
RIM is bragging about its performance over the busy Christmas month, with nearly one in two pre-pay handsets being a BlackBerry, and nearly one in four contracts the same, with the likes of the BlackBerry Curve 8520 and new BlackBerry Torch proving enticing to customers.
App happy
Popular apps are also helping things out too: there are 33 million users of BB Messenger worldwide, which is a 500% increase year on year – and RIM is claiming it's number one for Facebook engagement and Twitter downloads too.
However, while the performance is certainly stellar for December, it should be noted that RIM hasn't provided 2010 overall sales category breakdown data – its high smartphone market share is likely tempered by the fact that many people will only be buying the likes of an iPhone on contract and not pre-pay.
And while RIM's BlackBerry App World has grown 60% since Q2 2010, it still only harbours less than 17,000 applications, whereas the likes of Android and the iPhone are offering well over 200,000 apiece (although the quality of some of these, especially on Google's OS, is a little suspect at times).
Despite all that, nothing should be taken away from RIM's BlackBerry performance; with the smartphone market hotting up almost exponentially, leading from the front of the market share race is always going to be easier than having to push your way through the pack.
Your comments (3) Click to add a new comment
intosh
February 1st 2011
3. @si_smith:
Talk about spin: how is RIM "on a downward spiral" when it's been selling more and more phone and registering bigger and bigger profit every year?
Funny that a person calls out a supposedly spin but then regurgitates some idiocy because he was too gullible to some other "spin". Oh the IRONY!
Alert a moderator
slaguru
January 31st 2011
2. @si_smith
of course ZTE sells more phones than Apple as Apple only sell 2 phones in total, both expensive.
Are you really saying that a ZTE Pulse or F102 is in the same league as an iPhone, really ??
I wont argue that the San Francisco (pre OLED)is not a good phone for the money, but I doubt its shifted in iPhone numbers.
Alert a moderator
si_smith
January 31st 2011
1. It's amazing what SPIN can do. RIM are actually on a downward death spiral if you look at the bigger picture, loosing almost as much space in the smartphone arena as Nokia is.
And as for Apple, ZTE (who?) outperformed it with regards to Smartphones, selling more than iPhone.. Surely that is headline news...
http://www.eurodroid.com/2011/01/stats-zte-ships-more-phones-than-apple-nokia-still-king-of-the-world/
Alert a moderator
Tell us what you think
You need to Log in or register to post comments