Battle of the smartphones: iPhone vs Blackberry
There have been a lot of comparisons between the iPhone and Android. Undoubtedly, Android is the better device. But, what happens when the hugely-popular iPhone is pitted against another reputed device, that is the Blackberry. Of course, Blackberry’s market share is going downwards and iPhone’s is rising exponentially; however, when it comes to some trademark features, Blackberry easily outshines the iPhone. In fact, many celebrities and business users still swear by it. Let’s see how it holds out against the insanely popular iPhone.
Features
This is a tough one. Both Blackberry and iPhone come with hordes of enviable features. iPhone has features like Camera with photo gallery support, multi touch, Address book, SMS, App Store and many more. Blackberry comes with almost all the features iPhone provides plus a few more of its own. No doubt, Blackberry lacks some features like Stocks app and Weather support but it’s something that can be easily overlooked. iPhone on the other hand, lacks many features that Blackberry offers. iPhone lacks Tethering, Exchange Data Sync, Instant messaging (pre-iOS 5), VPN support, inbuilt GPS, Voice-activated dialling, Exchange Push mail and Tasks manager. Also, the lack of a physical keyboard gives Blackberry an edge in many user cases. Even though, the iOS 5 update brings few of the features iphone sorely missed, Blackberry still has the upper hand in this department. So, the winner here is Blackberry
Winner: Blackberry
Applications
The iPhone’s app store is the best when it comes to downloading quality applications. From yawning cats to homework helpers, the Apple App store has it all. The store currently has more than 500,000 apps that users can download at various prices including some which are free. Blackberry on the other hand has very few applications to boast of. There are some quality applications for this platform but it stands nowhere when compared to the sheer quality and variety that the iOS app store provides. The winner here is iPhone.
Winner : iPhone
Build
iPhone features a full touchscreen build which itself makes it easy-to-break. Of course, it’s not that fragile but when compared to the sturdy Blackberry, it comes nowhere close. The Blackberry is designed to fit in the hand with a strong grip and hard buttons. The back of the iPhone is quite susceptible to scratches which demands more care than a normal phone needs. Blackberry users can boast of dropping their phones more than 5 times and still having a fully-functional device.
Winner: Blackberry
Gaming
If you’re an iPhone user you must be laughing right now, just by looking at the category. Gaming is something that has never been Blackberry’s forte. iPhone however, makes gaming on mobile devices look more awesome than ever. There are a few games for Blackberry but they come nowhere close to what iPhone offers. The winner here is iPhone.
Winner: iPhone
Performance
The Blackberry and iPhone both perform exceptionally well for day to day tasks. They both have responsive and fast User Interfaces which are improving with every OS update. The battery life on Blackberry doesn’t run out any faster than the one on iPhone. In general, people have noticed that Blackberries run faster than iPhones; however, there aren’t any benchmarks to attest that claim. The newer iPhone models perform exceptionally well without any crashing or freezing. High-end Blackberry models can perform just as good as the latest iPhones thus making this one a tie.
Winner: Tie
Ease of Use
It’s a tough call here as both iPhone and blackberry have very easy-to-use interfaces. iPhone’s touch screen is intuitive and the menus are easy to navigate. Moreover, the multi-touch interface makes it easy to zoom in and out of photos. The Blackberry on the other hand comes with a physical keyboard (most models), making it really easy to use. The menus look clean and well sorted and the trackpad is perhaps the best thing invented since sliced bread. Despite the intuitive touch screen that iPhone offers, any user will say that Blackberry probably is the phone that is easier to use. Blackberry scores simply because of the physical keyboard and the awesome scrolling. Furthermore, the newer models also include a touch screen along with a physical keyboard so that you can even use it with just one hand. The winner here is Blackberry
Winner: Blackberry
Network tie-ins
iPhone, as of now, only offers services on Verizon and AT &T networks ( US only). However, Blackberry, just like Android, gives the users more networks to choose from. The winner here, no doubt, is Blackberry.
Winner : Blackberry
Pricing
iPhone starts at 199 $ for its 16 GB model and goes upto 299 $ for the 32 GB one. The unlocked iPhone costs a whopping 649 $. Blackberries on the other hand come with a huge spectrum of price tags. For people who are a little strapped on cash, Blackberry offers Curve models. For the pros, there’s always Storm and Bold. Thus, Blackberry gives users a lot of choice when it comes to pricing. iPhone on the other hand limits users to a fixed price tag. The winner here is Blackberry.
Winner: Blackberry
Results
The scores : Blackberry 6 and iPhone 3
Even though RIM’s popularity is going downhill, Blackberry still edges out the iPhone in many areas. That’s the reason why many celebrities and office goers still swear by their Blackberry. iPhone still rules amongst the masses, but it has to be more open to edge out big players like Android and Blackberry. So, today’s winner in the battle of the smartphones is RIM’s Blackberry.
