Report: ‘Bumpy Start’ For BlackBerry Storm
7:19 am, January 26th, 2009, Ed Sutherland
The BlackBerry Storm, RIM’s first touch-screen handset, has gotten off to a rough start in its bid to compete with Apple’s iPhone, according to a report Monday.
The phone, plagued by technical problems, sold 500,000 units a month after RIM unveiled the device Nov. 21, according to the Wall Street Journal. By contrast, Apple sold 2.4 million iPhone 3Gs in its first quarter.
Jim Balsillie, RIM’s co-chief executive, said swatting bugs after a product hits the shelves is now the “new reality” as cell phone makers attempt to duplicate Apple’s success with the iPhone.
Only “by the skin of their teeth” was RIM able to introduce the Storm prior to Black Friday, Balsillie said.
Verizon Wireless, the exclusive carrier for the Storm and RIM in December released the first patch to fix initial problems. The carrier told the newspaper “future releases” will address other errors reported by owners.
Despite the rocky start, RIM is producing 250,000 Storm handsets per week.
Posted by Ed Sutherland in News | Comment on this article
Just like the ipod. Everyone tries, everyone fails to duplicate the Apple
experience. They are just fighting for a VERY distant second place.
Scott C, on January 26th, 2009 at 7:42 am
If they maintained 500,000 per month, that would still be 1.5 million in the quarter – not bad considering the horrible publicity the Storm got.
Ian Betteridge, on January 26th, 2009 at 8:30 am
I got a Storm on 11/25, finally returned back on 1/4. It’s a piece of shit.
matt, on January 26th, 2009 at 12:25 pm
So far… NOTHING beats an iPhone.
And that’s one statement that has no threat.
Matt///, on January 27th, 2009 at 9:55 am