Cell Phones: A Comparison of the Top Four. Smartphones. Written by: Sarah Baca Jon Cooper Dan Inghram Kevin Knowlton Darcy McGuill Simon Seltzer

Transcription

1 Cell Phones: A Comparison of the Top Four Smartphones Written by: Sarah Baca Jon Cooper Dan Inghram Kevin Knowlton Darcy McGuill Simon Seltzer

2 Contents Introduction... 3 What Product... 3 Methodology... 3 Product Choice... 3 Manufacturers... 3 Companies... 3 Offerings... 3 Market Share... 4 Retail Outlets... 5 iphone... 5 Blackberry Storm... 5 Palm pre... 6 Nexus One... 6 Customer Survey... 6 Results of Survey: An Analysis... 6 Results... 7 Publication Analysis Magazine Reviews Magazine Findings Recommendations from Group Appendix Copy of Survey What cell phone do you currently use? How long have you had that phone? How would you describe your experience with that phone? How much did you pay for that phone? Do you feel the price for that phone is: What services do you use on this phone? (Please choose all that apply) What is your favorite service on this phone? What is services would you want if you bought a new phone? What do you think about this phone physically (total dimensions)? What do you think about this phone's screen... 24

3 Introduction What Product For our project we did research on four of the newest cell phones in the market. Our selection included four of the top selling smart phones, as defined by cnet.com as of March Methodology We did research, compared, and conducted a survey on the Palm Pre, Nexus One Google phone, iphone 3GS, and the Blackberry Storm. In our survey we asked participants questions such as how long they had the phone, how much they purchased it for, were they satisfied with their purchase, and if they felt the price of the phone was fair or not. We also asked more in depth questions about the physical dimensions of the phone, features and services provided, and which ones they did not have yet could use on their phone. Product Choice We chose the cell phone product category because cell phones are something most people use on a daily basis. A large number of people don t even have a land line at home because all they use is their cell phone. Knowing that cell phones are commonly used, we were confident that we have successful survey results. Manufacturers Companies Offerings Apple Motorola Palm RIM iphone 3GS Droid-Eris Pre Blackberry Storm

4 Market Share When looking at the total market share of the four smartphones (Apple iphone, Blackberry Storm, Google Nexus One, and Palm Pre) we found that 42.7 million people in the U.S. owned smartphones in an average month during the November 09 to January 10 period, up 18% from the August 09 through October 09 period. RIM, manufacturer of the Blackberry Storm, was the leading mobile smartphone platform in the U.S. with 43% share of U.S. smartphone subscribers, rising 1.7% versus three months earlier. Apple, manufacturer of the iphone, ranked second with 25.1% (up 0.3%), followed by Microsoft at 15.7%. Then Google, manufacturer of the Nexus One, at 7.1% (up 4.3%), and Palm, at 5.7%. Since it is difficult to find statistics about what exact percentage certain smartphones account for the total market share of their manufacturing companies, we can only speculate as to which smartphone holds the most power among the four. RIM as a company manufactures only smartphones and has over 30 different models, the Storm only accounts for a fraction of RIM s 43% of the market share. Whereas, Apple only makes one type of smartphone, the iphone, so the entire 25.1% of its market share is from the iphone. This is pretty hard evidence that the iphone is the most popular smartphone by just looking at total market share of the smartphone industry. Top Smartphone Platforms 3 Month Avg. Ending Jan vs. 3 Month Avg. Ending Oct Total U.S. Age 13+ Source: comscore MobiLens Share (%) of Smartphone Subscribers Oct-09 Jan-10 Point Change Total Smartphone 100.0% 100.0% N/A Subscribers RIM 41.3% 43.0% 1.7

5 Apple 24.8% 25.1% 0.3 Microsoft 19.7% 15.7% -4.0 Google 2.8% 7.1% 4.3 Palm 7.8% 5.7% -2.1 Retail Outlets iphone Currently there are four authorized retailers. These include: 1. Apple 2. Best Buy 3. Walmart 4. AT&T AT&T is the only retailer that sells iphones online. All other retailers require a trip to the store. Blackberry Storm Currently there are four authorized retailers. These include: 1. Amazon.com 2. Verizon Wireless 3. Walmart 4. Wirefly

6 Palm pre Currently there are 4 authorized retailers. These include: Amazon.com Verizon Wireless Sprint Best Buy AT&T will soon be carrying the Palm pre. Nexus One Currently there are 2 authorized retailers. These include: Google T-Mobile Verizon Wireless will soon be carrying the Nexus One. Customer Survey Results of Survey: An Analysis After concluding our survey we discovered that of the iphone, Blackberry Storm, Google phone (HTC Nexus One), and Palm Pre, the iphone was the most popular. With the recent explosion in popularity with touch screen phones, the most surprising of our findings was that over fifty-one percent of people surveyed did not have one of our phones mentioned. With these conclusions we realized that there is still a large market opportunity for touch screen phones.

7 While ninety-one percent of people surveyed were satisfied with their current phone, one problem we ran across is that over seventy-five percent of people surveyed have not had their phone for more than a year. Since most have had their phone for a short period of time, accuracy on satisfaction may not be one hundred percent. With most people only having their phone for a short period of time, it could be too soon to tell whether or not the phone will be durable or problematic. With prices dropping on all touch screen phones, we looked at this as one of the main reasons for the increase in sales over the past year in touch screen phones. For the four phones we had surveyed the prices that they are all going for now, are a fraction of what they were when the phones first came out. Touch screen phones have typically been considered expensive, an overwhelming percentage of people surveyed thought that the price paid for their phone was fair or inexpensive. With phone providers running sales and promotions continuously, attempting to get people to buy touch screen phones, it did not come as a surprise that over half of the people surveyed paid under $120 for their phone. For the phones we had surveyed, if bought new, the Blackberry Storm was the most inexpensive at $49, after mail in rebate and contract agreement. The Blackberry Storm was followed second by the iphone; the Google and Palm Pre tied for third in price. Overall while majority of people surveyed were satisfied with their phone, we discovered that the iphone had the highest marks. The second highest overall satisfied of people surveyed owned the Blackberry Storm, followed by the Sprint Palm Pre. Information on the Google phone was inconclusive as we did not receive any votes for this phone. Out of our ten question survey, the iphone at least tied for the highest mark on each question. With plenty of market potential still out there for touch screen phones, are survey helped us to conclude that people will prefer the iphone to other touch screen phones. Results 1. What cell phone do you currently use? Percent Count

8 iphone 3GS 36.1% 26 Blackberry Storm 4.2% 3 Nexus One Phone (Google phone) 0% 0 Palm Pre 4.2% 3 Other (not listed) 55.6% 40 Answered question 72 Skipped question 1 2. How long have you had that phone? Percent Count 6 months or less 34.7% 25 1 year 6 months 41.7% 30 2 years 3 years 19.4% 14 4 years or more 4.2% 3 Answered question 72 Skipped question 1 3. How would you describe your experience with that phone? Percent Count Very satisfied 61.6% 45 Somewhat Satisfied 20.5% 15 Satisfied 11.0% 8 Not very satisfied 4.1% 3 Unsatisfied 2.7% 2

9 Answered question 73 Skipped question 0 4. How much did you pay for that phone? Percent Count $0 - $ % 10 $31 - $ % 9 $61 - $90 4.1% 3 $91 - $ % 18 $121 - $ % 5 $151 - $180 0% 0 $181 - $ % 13 $211 - $ % 2 $241 - $ % 7 $301 - $ % 1 $401 - $ % 3 $501 or more 2.7% 2 Answered question 73 Skipped question 0 5. Do you feel the price for that phone is: Percent Count Expensive 20.5% 15 Fair 67.1% 49

10 Inexpensive 12.3% 9 Answered question 73 Skipped question 0 6. What services do you use in this phone? (Please choose all that apply) Percent Count Internet/Web access 78.1% 57 Text Messaging 95.9% 70 SMS 54.8% 40 Push-to-talk 6.8% 5 Phone 98.6% % 47 Applications (games, etc.) 64.4% 48 Calendar functions 65.8% 48 Full QWERTY keyboard 47.9% 35 Touch Screen 56.2% 41 Trackball/Trackpad 16.4% 12 Stylus 8.2% 6 Blue Tooth 46.6% 34 GPS 58.9% 43 Camera 93.2% 68 Camcorder 41.1% 30 Flash 11.0% 8 Smile Detect 4.1% 3 Vcast music, Rhapsody, itunes, mp3, etc. 34.2% 25 Television (streaming) 19.2% 14

11 Video Playback 24.7% 18 Other (Please describe) 2.7% 2 Descriptions: reading documents for work purposes/ conference calls/ ipod, Powerpoint, Word, Excel, I use it as a flashlight, Wifi Answered question 73 Skipped question 0 7. What is your favorite service on this phone? Percent Count Internet/Web access 17.8% 13 Text Messaging 23.3% 17 SMS 1.4% 1 Push-to-talk 0% 0 Phone 11.0% % 9 Applications (games, etc.) 15.1% 11 Calendar functions 1.4% 1 Full QWERTY keyboard 6.8% 5 Touch Screen 5.5% 4 Trackball/Trackpad 0% 0 Stylus 0% 0 Blue Tooth 0% 0 GPS 0% 0 Camera 0% 0 Camcorder 0% 0 Flash 0% 0

12 Smile Detect 0% 0 Vcast music, Rhapsody, itunes, mp3, etc. 2.7% 2 Television (streaming) 1.4% 1 Video Playback 0% 0 Other (Please describe) 1.4% 1 Descriptions: NONE Answered question 73 Skipped question 0 8. What is services would you want if you bought a new phone? Percent Count Internet/Web access 20.3% 14 Text Messaging 4.3% 1 SMS 1.4% 1 Push-to-talk 1.4% 1 Phone 4.3% % 7 Applications (games, etc.) 5.8% 4 Calendar functions 1.4% 1 Full QWERTY keyboard 7.2% 5 Touch Screen 5.8% 4 Trackball/Trackpad 1.4% 1 Stylus 0.0% 0 Blue Tooth 2.9% 2 GPS 1.4% 1 Camera 1.4% 1

13 Camcorder 8.7% 6 Flash 11.6% 8 Smile Detect 1.4% 1 Vcast music, Rhapsody, itunes, mp3, etc. 0.0% 0 Television (streaming) 4.3% 3 Video Playback 1.4% 1 Other (Please describe) 2.9% 2 Descriptions: NONE Answered question 69 Skipped question 4 9. What do you think about this phone physically (total dimensions)? Percent Count Too Big 5.5% 4 Fair 94.5% 69 Inexpensive 0.o% 0 Answered question 73 Skipped question What do you think about this phone s screen? Percent Count Doesn t have one 1.4% 1 Too small 17.8% 13 Just right 80.8% 59

14 Too big 0.0% 0 Answered question 73 Skipped question 0 Publication Analysis i Magazine Reviews Good iphone The iphone 3GS finally adds common cell phone features like multimedia messaging, video recording, and voice dialing. It runs faster; its promised battery life is longer; and the multimedia quality continues to shine. Faster than iphone 3G, has stereo Bluetooth, video recording, cut, copy, paste, and picture messaging. Bad The iphone 3GS' call quality shows no improvements and the 3G signal reception remains uneven. We still don't get Flash Lite, USB transfer and storage, or multitasking. Picture messaging, multiple applications running at one time and application organization not currently available, but offered in 2010 with a software update. Bottom Line The iphone 3GS doesn't make the same grand leap that the iphone 3G made from the first-generation model, but the latest Apple handset is still a compelling upgrade for some users. The iphone 3GS is faster and we appreciate the new features and extended battery life, but call quality and 3G reception still need improvement Blackberry Storm Good The RIM BlackBerry Storm 2 adds Wi-Fi, more memory, and an updated operating system that brings a number of feature and user interface enhancements. The revamped SurePress touch screen allows for more precision,

15 key rollover, and limited multitouch capabilities. Strong business functionality, brilliant 3.3-inch display, superb video playback, Wi-Fi and global 3G network support. Bad BlackBerry browser isn't on par with the competition. While improved, the touch screen still takes some acclimation. It s a tedious touch screen with a dated user interface, sluggish web browser, and shorter battery life than other BlackBerry Mobile Devices. Bottom Line The RIM BlackBerry Storm 2 brings some welcome additions, such as Wi-Fi, updated software, and a better touch interface, but it's going to face some serious competition from Verizon's upcoming touch-screen smartphones. Palm Pre Good The Palm Pre's multitasking capabilities and notifications system are unparalleled. The smartphone features a vibrant display with multitouch functionality as well as a solid Web browser and good multimedia integration. The Pre offered good call quality and wireless options include 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS. It also has a 3-megapixel camera with flash, consolidates instant message, and text conversations, and an inventive search feature Bad The Pre's keyboard is cramped. Battery life drains quickly, and the smartphone can be sluggish at times. Lacks expansion slot, video-recording capabilities, onscreen keyboard, and Flash support. The Pre App Catalog is still in beta with a limited number of titles. Bottom Line Despite some missing features and performance issues that make it less than ideal for on-the-go professionals, the Palm Pre offers gadget lovers and consumers well-integrated features and unparalleled multitasking capabilities. The hardware could be better, but more importantly, Palm has developed a solid OS that not only rivals the competition but also sets a new standard in the way

16 smartphones handle tasks and manage information. Nexus One Good The Nexus One has a gorgeous display, a lightning-fast 1 GHz processor, and a loaded feature set. The enhanced voice capabilities worked flawlessly, and the phone delivers solid performance. It also has five customizable home screens, a versatile camera, and now has a multitouch screen. Bad Like other Android phones, the Nexus One forces you to store apps on the internal memory. The media player remains average, and it's missing some wanted features like hands-free Bluetooth dialing. Currently, Outlook Calendar syncing is not available. Google customer support is unproven. Bottom Line It doesn't have all the features we'd like, but the Nexus One greatly enhances the Google Android family with a fast processor, good call quality, and improved voice control features. What's more, we love that all versions of the phone will be unlocked. Magazine Findings Every phone had good and bad qualities, but the iphone was the only phone that has updates coming out shortly that will rectify any shortcomings. This fact, in addition to the positive attributes of the iphone, caused our group to conclude that the iphone was the best choice according to cnet.com, a popular online magazine. As a side note, we chose an online magazine as opposed to a print magazine because print media takes time to print and publish, and therefore does not always contain the most current information. Online media is generally more current. Cnet is also a well-trusted name in the field of technology.

17 Recommendations from Group Our findings concluded that the iphone has the largest market share, was among the top in availability, was most popular among those interviewed, had the best overall reviews from cnet.com. This leads our group to conclude that the Apple iphone is the best smartphone available at this time.

18 Appendix Copy of Survey 1. What cell phone do you currently use? What cell phone do you currently use? Nexus One phone (Google phone) Other (not listed) Blackberry Storm Palm Pre iphone 3GS 2. How long have you had that phone? How long have you had that phone? 6 months or less 1 year - 6 months 2 years - 3 years 4 years or more 3. How would you describe your experience with that phone? How would you describe your experience with that phone? Very satisfied Somewhat satisfied

19 Satisfied Not very satisfied Unsatisfied 4. How much did you pay for that phone? How much did you pay for that phone? $0 - $30 $31 - $60 $61 - $90 $91 - $120 $121 - $150 $151 - $180 $181 - $210 $211 - $240 $241 - $300 $301 - $400 $401 - $500 $501 or more

20 5. Do you feel the price for that phone is: Do you feel the price for that phone is: Expensive Fair Inexpensive 6. What services do you use on this phone? (Please choose all that apply) What services do you use on this phone? (Please choose all that apply) Internet/Web access Text Messaging SMS Push-to-talk Phone Applications (games, etc.) Calendar functions Full QWERTY keyboard Touch Screen Trackball/Trackpad

21 Stylus Blue Tooth GPS Camera Camcorder Flash Smile Detect Vcast music,rhapsody, itunes, mp3, etc. Television (streaming) Video Playback Other (Please describe) Other (please specify) 7. What is your favorite service on this phone? What is your favorite service on this phone? Internet/Web access Text Messaging SMS

22 Push-to-talk Phone Applications (games, etc.) Calendar functions Full QWERTY keyboard Touch Screen Trackball/Trackpad Stylus Blue Tooth GPS Camera Camcorder Flash Smile Detect Vcast music, Rhapsody, itunes, mp3, etc.

23 Television (streaming) Video Playback Other (Please describe) 8. What is services would you want if you bought a new phone? What is services would you want if you bought a new phone? Internet/Web access Text Messaging SMS Push-to-talk Phone Applications (games, etc.) Calendar functions Full QWERTY keyboard Touch Screen Trackball/Trackpad Stylus

24 Blue Tooth GPS Camera Camcorder Flash Smile Detect Vcast music,rhapsody, itunes, mp3, etc. Television (streaming) Video Playback Other (Please describe) 9. What do you think about this phone physically (total dimensions)? What do you think about this phone physically (total dimensions)? Too Big Just Right Too Small 10. What do you think about this phone's screen What do you think about this phone's screen Doesn't have one

25 Too small Just right Too big i Publication referenced for the purpose of this analysis was gathered from