Although many people get lathered up about the iPhone 3G, BlackBerry enthusiasts know that’s not the only next-generation smartphone in town. Research In Motion is set to introduce the next hot new smartphone in its product line, the BlackBerry Bold.
With its enhanced higher-resolution display, 3G capabilities, and GPS,
some industry analysts are calling the new Bold “the first big hedge against the iPhone.” Others, however, aren't quite as hyperbolic.
As
one reviewer puts it, "It’s a phone that could easily have been launched as part of an anniversary, to serve as a reminder of the company’s legacy, and will no doubt leave their engineers free to create the more experimental and risky designs needed to meet the industry’s current changes moving forward."
In other words, the Bold is no big deal.
Citi Investment Research analyst Jim Suva has a
whole host of reasons to not bother with the BlackBerry Bold, including an inadequate camera and the lack of a touchscreen interface. He does, however, say it's very user-friendly and the browser has (finally!) been completely overhauled into something that's actually efficient.
Of course, the biggest mystery about the Bold isn't how it will stack up against the iPhone, but when the darn thing will be available in the U.S. Early reports suggested sometime this summer however it's only being offered in Canada. Apparently the U.S. launch has been
delayed until at least September to allow time to work out kinks in the rather shaky 3G system.
While some consumers are loyal Apple fans to the end, others prefer the proven reliability of the BlackBerry. The Bold will be out soon and the iPhone is already here -- which would you rather have?
