BlackBerry vs. iPhone: Is This Still a Question?

Covering Apple isn’t always fun. Drive-by commenters on my stories either knock me for being on Apple’s payroll or being obsessed with Steve Jobs. (For the record, I’m neither.)

Every once in a while, though, I turn back the clock and look at my older stories for a laugh at those commenters.

My favorite story is Goodbye BlackBerry: Future Belongs to iPhone, written two years ago when RIM’s stock was trading in the $70 range. The story was part of a larger package across multiple sister sites to look at the future of wireless. Sadly (at least for me), my story was widely panned as commenters took blow torches to it.

Such a story today, though, probably would be considered late to the analysis game – as in, tell us something we don’t know. This week, RIM’s stock dipped below $10 into the single digits. Meanwhile, Apple iPhone sales and Apple stock have hit the stratosphere.

Here’s the hammer-fist note by Wedge Partners analyst Brian Blair, as reported by AllThingsD: 

“We don’t see any scenario where BlackBerry 10 can compete meaningfully against the three major smartphone operating systems. Our longer term view remains that RIM will be forced to focus on the low-end, developing market segment, as we believe that remains the only available opportunity for the company. The high end and mid-tier smartphone markets simply don’t want BlackBerry anymore.”

Ouch.

I wonder if Blair will also feel the wrath of BlackBerry fans. Here are some of the best comments about my original story. (My retorts are in parentheses.)

Anonymous: “first of all, iphone is losing market share to android and according to report below is now 3rd behind blackberry and android, and secondly, blackberry still rules the us market in the enterprise – over 70% of enterprise businesses. someone is drinking the apple kool-aid” (Drinking the Kool-Aid, very original.)

Anonymous: “Wow! pull the lips off Steve jobs backside.” (Geez, I didn’t know I was that obvious.)

Karl H: “If this article had appeared 18-months back, skepticism about the claims but plausible. Now with the momentum of Android and Apple/Job’s delusions of world domination – the iPhone doesn’t have a prayer.” (The iPhone doesn’t have a prayer, really?)

Anonymous: “How shortsighted this article is. The reporter is failing to recognize how many corporations, big and small have blackberry backends deeply integrated into their networks, this is not going away anytime soon.” (We’re witnessing one of the fastest beat downs of a tech company in recent history, like the Hulk hammering Loki.)

Anonymous: “The author is really a BlackBerry hater. Very biased article.” (You caught me, I really do hate the trackball.)

redunkulas: “What kinda apple flavored crack are you smoking? The iPhone is less complicated than the Blackberry? The apps are better? I thought CIO was about business? Are you now trying to compete with PC world? What a freaking jke this article is!” (Just say NO to drugs and question marks!)

Anonymous: “I’m surprised that Tom still takes the time to write articles. Given how smart he is, I would have figured he would have made millions and millions on the stock market by now and be living in Tahiti.” (I’m more of a Hawaii kind of guy. You know, the place where President Obama was born.)

Anonymous: “How much is Apple paying this guy?” from Computerworld (I just want Apple PR to answer one of my emails or take one of my calls, which they haven’t done for years.)

Anonymous: “Finally, RIM will probably continue to dominate the market…” from Computerworld (You mean survive, right?)