Smartphone market heads into a storm

Life just got tougher for the tech-conscious executive trying to decide which smartphone to accessorise – thanks to Research In Motion’s latest BlackBerry: the touch-screen enabled Storm...

The Storm will be available through Vodafone next month.

“This touch-screen device will inevitably be compared to the iPhone,” says Nathan Burley, an analyst at global advisory and consulting firm Ovum.

“However it does have unique features multi-tap clickable screen with separated navigation from confirmation domains, longer battery life, expandable memory with micro SD, more Bluetooth profiles, full QWERTY keyboard in landscape mode and it’s a Blackberry which means associated security and integration. RIM also claims the device has been in development since before the first iPhone was announced so should therefore not be directly compared.”

Burley says the Storm adds another impressive device to the Blackberry portfolio and continues RIM’s evolution outside its core market into “prosumers” and consumer segments.

“At first look, the Storm seems an excellent addition but to continue growth in the consumer market RIM must consider diversifying its handset line-up further and produce more focused consumer-oriented/multimedia devices. RIM must be careful however not to bite off more than it can chew – diversification into a broader focus consumer company brings considerable challenges.”

The Storm will target the higher-end of the market and “big screen motivated buyers”.

Ovum expects the Storm will be priced lower than BlackBerry’s other new-release executive toy, the Bold.

In the Asia Pacific region the Storm will be initially available as a Vodafone exclusive in Australia, New Zealand, and India.

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