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Johannesburg - The BlackBerry Storm is the latest smartphone on the block to receive the "iPhone Killer" tag that is fondly bandied about every time a new phone is launched with a touch (with your fingers) interface.
The Storm was launched in Johannesburg on Wednesday.
Managing director of Research in Motion South Africa, Deon Liebenberg, says that the development of the Storm was a collaboration between his company and Vodafone.
"The product was developed from the ground up by Vodafone and BlackBerry. It can't really be compared to other smartphones because it is a BlackBerry and attracts a different kind of user," he says.
Research in Motion practically invented email on a cellphone with its BlackBerry platform, and the Storm offers extended functionality for managing and sharing media, such as photographs, satellite navigation with Vodafone Sat Nav and an 'application centre' that resembles Apple's App Store for the iPhone. Liebenberg says there is a difference, however.
"With BlackBerry's App Centre it is possible for software to be pushed down to the phone, along with updates. New software is flagged in the centre and users then choose whether or not they want it on their device," he explains.
The Storm is available on Vodacom's Talk 500 package with two years' subscription to the BlackBerry service bundled in. It can also be obtained on other contracts where the BlackBerry service is charged separately.
At retail the Storm will cost R8 500 according to Romeo Kumalo, the commercial director of the Vodacom Group. Kumalo says that new pricing has also been introduced for BlackBerry services with the entry-level being reduced to R59 per month.
For that prices users receive unlimited data for email, browsing and instant messaging to their BlackBerry devices, so long as they are using the BlackBerry APN.
It does not allow you to "tether" connectivity through the device to your computer, however.
Kumalo also alluded to the pricing of mobile internet connectivity becoming increasingly competitive over the coming months.
"Vodacom's strategy is to democratise the internet in South Africa, increasing the penetration of mobile access," says Kumalo.
"We already provide free email services to all our customers. Most South Africans will experience the Internet for the first time on their phones and Vodacom's pricing makes it accessible."
He says that Vodacom will be marketing the Storm extensively and see smartphones as an effective differentiator in the market. The Apple iPhone, BlackBerry Storm and coming Android G1 Google Phone are all exclusively available from Vodacom in South Africa, but are unlocked so that they can be used on other networks once being obtained from Vodacom.
"Friends on other networks have asked me when the Storm is coming to Vodacom, because they intend to switch," claims Kumalo.
"There are some exciting applications in development by Vodafone for the Storm and I am excited to see these being introduced to the market."
BlackBerry and Vodacom remain mum on how many units of the Storm have been shipped into the country and would not disclose whether or not the quantity was greater or smaller than the 30 000 iPhones Vodacom brought into the country in its initial shipment of the Apple product in 2008.
The Storm has a built-in GPS, Bluetooth, 3.2 megapixel camera with flash and auto-focus, MicroSD memory card slot, one gigabyte of internal storage and 3G HSDPA mobile Internet connectivity. No WiFi, however.
- Fin24.com
