Two months ago Research In Motion released Storm, its first touchscreen phone, to some of the harshest reviews that a phone has seen in recent times. Yet sales of the device tell a different story.
The BlackBerry Storm is doing pretty well, to the tune of 1 million sold since its launch on the Verizon’s network.
That may not be success on the scale of the iPhone, which sold 1 million units in just a weekend, but it is a respectable showing. Storm’s success is comparable to the much-anticipated first phone based on Google’s Android operating system, the HTC G1 from T-Mobile. It’s also far more than you might expect from a device that was labeled "dark, sodden and unpredictable," by prominent gadget reviewer David Pogue.
"It shows that there are two worlds that exist out there," says
Michael Gartenberg, a technology analyst. "The digerati, and the mainstream consumers who are just looking
for a reasonable experience with the carrier they want."
So what’s behind the Storm’s surprising success?
Two words: BlackBerry and Verizon.
"If you want true push e-mail and have been a longtime BlackBerry user, there’s really just one touchscreen phone out there for you," says Peter VanRysdam, a Storm user who is vice president of marketing of 352 Media Group, a web design company.
Other factors have helped, too, such as the availability of the device on Verizon Wireless, the biggest cellphone service provider in the U.S., strong promotion of the phone, and the loyal BlackBerry fan base.
"This underscores the symbiotic relationship between carriers and handset vendors," says Gartenberg. "For a lot of users, Verizon is the network of choice and a BlackBerry is the device of choice."
RIM launched the BlackBerry Storm on Nov. 21 in the U.S. as its first touchscreen device. Despite innovative features — most notably, a touchscreen with tactile feedback that gives users a feel similar to physical buttons — the phone drew some harsh criticism.
Wired.com gave it six out of 10 while New York Times reviewer David Pogue, in one of his harshest reviews ever for a device, said the Storm "even muffs simple navigation tasks."
Still, sales have been strong. Since its release, RIM has said it is pleased with how consumers have been taking to the Storm. The company also offered updates for the phone to fix problems such as the accelerometer lag and the unexpected lock up of the phone.
Reports of the Storm’s problems may have been greatly exaggerated, says Simona Jankowski, an analyst with Goldman Sachs, in a research note.
"Our retail checks suggest that the Storm is Verizon’s best-selling smartphone, and the rate of returns is relatively low, contrary to recent market concerns and internet blogs."
Some Storm users say their initial negative reaction to the phone turned into a more positive experience after using the device for a few weeks.
The bad reviews for the Storm did make longtime BlackBerry user Evan Bartlett nervous initially, he says. Bartlett, who is a senior account executive for Angelsoft, a company that makes a deal flow management platform for venture capitalists and angel networks, says he was a T-Mobile subscriber using the BlackBerry Curve before switching to the Storm on Verizon.
Now there’s no looking back for him."The true push e-mail, the ability to search through your e-mail, copy and paste were all features that I use very heavily," says Bartlett, "which is also the reason why the iPhone doesn’t work for me."
The Storm’s web browser has also attracted fans. "The two things I do most are e-mail and browsing," says VanRysdam. "And the browsing experience on the Storm is unlike any other BlackBerry device and as good as the iPhone."
Ultimately the Storm’s success can be attributed to the power of Verizon and BlackBerry’s marketing efforts.
"The Storm has been the subject of a tremendous ad campaign by Verizon," says Avi Greengart, an analyst with research firm Current Analysis. "So if you are a user at Verizon it is one of the most exciting devices to have."
Could the BlackBerry brand also been enough to draw in users? "Absolutely," says Greengart.
Meanwhile, even die-hard Storm users agree that the device is still fairly buggy. The shutter delay on the camera can be frustrating as is the lack of Wi-Fi and the third party applications for the phone.
They are, however, willing to be patient for more updates from RIM to fix those problems. Their Storm, they say, is worth the wait.
See also:
Showdown: BlackBerry Storm vs. iPhone 3G
Hands On With The BlackBerry Storm
Photo: (RealtorKimWood/Flickr)
