In North America, BlackBerry is currently the smartphone to beat, but the meteoric rise of the iPhone will continue well into 2011 and nab RIM’s number one market share spot, according to Trefis. This conclusion was based on the clear outpacing of growth Apple has enjoyed with the iPhone. In 2007, iPhone growth sat 0.3%, and in 2009, they were at 2%, while RIM went from 1% to 3% in the same period. By 2011, Trefis is forecasting Apple’s mobile market share will hit 11% and RIM will reach 8%.
Even as one of the BlackBerry faithful, I find it hard to deny this eventuality. Apple has a ludicrously large marketing budget, which will continue to be used to to capitalize RIM’s buttoned-down image and win the dead hearts and vacant minds of the masses. Despite the competition, the latest forecasts for RIM continue to be positive – BlackBerry still has more than a little fight left in her, that’s for sure.
[via Forbes]