Paul Carton, Director of Research at ChangeWave Research, reported yesterday at investorplace.com that Apple iPhone is gaining steadily on BlackBerry's market share, a great feat considering BlackBerry's entrenched position in the business sector. iPhone market share is now a heady 30%, still behind BlackBerry's 40%, but RIM products are not gaining new users at nearly the same rate. As for Palm? Well, the Pre seems to have leveled out the free fall, but there's nothing terribly encouraging about the data. My guess is they are still pining for those halcyon days of 2006 when Palm was king.



The smartphone market itself is rising; according to Mr. Carton's research, a full 39% of consumers now own some kind of smartphone. Compare that with last summer, when the smartphone market was just cracking 25%.



The good news for Apple is that RIM's stranglehold on the smartphone market appears to be loosening, and with so many consumers still to reach, Apple has the momentum. CNNMoney.com characterized Apple's market gains as putting Apple within "striking distance" of BlackBerry. What's driving the momentum? Customer satisfaction. Among those who plan to buy a smartphone within the next 90 days, 36% plan to buy an iPhone. And among current users, fully 73% of them are satisfied with the device, compared with only 43% of BlackBerry users.



Mr. Carton notes that BlackBerry is planning product launches this year, and Apple has already released the 3GS. If Apple holds true to its history, we won't see a significant upgrade to the phone until next June. Either way, Apple has carved itself out quite a niche and the iPhone can no longer be dismissed as a toy to BlackBerry's business device.

A TUAW reader zapped us a note with his BlackBerry device to tell us that as of today, BlackBerry Desktop Software for Mac is available (we first noted it as "coming in September" back in July).

It's a free download [link], and requires Mac OS X 10.5.5 or better, BlackBerry device software version 4.2 or higher, and iTunes 7.2 or newer. Key features of the software include the ability to synchronize your iTunes library with your CrackBerry, sync calendars, contacts, and appointments, & add or delete apps and files.

This is the first time that Research In Motion (RIM) has developed their own solution for syncing Macs and BlackBerry handhelds. In the past, the company made a version of PocketMac for BlackBerry available at no cost to Mac-owning customers, and other third-party developers such as Mark/Space have had BlackBerry solutions available for many years.

Thanks to Storry for the tip!

Even though the iPhone, in its several iterations, is most likely the smartphone of choice for the discerning Mac user, that doesn't mean Mac users choose the iPhone exclusively. In fact, RIM's BlackBerry device still commands a sizable share of the smartphone market. So, if you happen to be one of those people who use a Mac and a BlackBerry, wouldn't it be nice if both of your devices could work together by synchronizing files, music, video and more seamlessly via an application supplied by RIM themselves to maximize compatibility?

Well, that dream may become a reality according to a tipster who gave the scoop to the folks at the Boy Genius Report. According the the Boy himself, RIM is poised to give Mac and BlackBerry users something they've sorely needed: a brand new, updated and super cool BlackBerry Desktop Manager for Mac on September 25th.

This information isn't 100% confirmed, but Boy Genius does let it slip that he's using a previous build of the software and that it is "running beautifully." So, I guess that's a good sign this is probably one dream that will, in fact, come true -- and very soon.

PocketMac has been in the business of connecting Macs and handheld devices for quite some time, so it's not surprising that they have decided to start working on other ways to make our mobile devices more useful. Since our readers include Mac owners who use RIM BlackBerry devices, I jumped on the opportunity to give PocketMac's new Ringtone Studio for BlackBerry a try.

In case you're wondering if I've dropped out of the iPhone world, I didn't. I do a lot of work in the mobile world, so I have a lot of different devices, including a BlackBerry Pearl 8100. The built-in ring tones aren't exactly the type of thing you'd want to listen to more than once, so having a BlackBerry ringtone editor that runs on a Mac is a good thing.

I have just one gripe about RIngtone Studio; it's a single-function application, and the price tag -- US$29.95 -- is really quite high for something that just creates ringtones. PocketMac defends the price by noting that many BlackBerry users get into subscription ringtone plans that can cost as much as US$9.99 every month.

Sunday night on the Talkcast we were talking about sync apps for mobile devices -- the latest iTunes update blocked the Palm Pre from identifying as an iPod in iTunes, and we were lamenting the fact that Pre users would have to go back to using Palm's app again. Blackberry users are likewise forced to sync with one hand tied behind their backs: the Blackberry Desktop app up until now has only been available for Windows, and users on OS X have been recommended PocketMac for Blackberry, a third-party product. But now RIM has finally announced that they're bringing the Blackberry Desktop app to the Mac -- it'll be available this September, and will offer all of the functionality you'd expect: syncing of calendars, contacts, and notes and tasks, app management, and the usual device updating and so on.

There are screenshots on the official blog, and boy does that thing look like iTunes, all the way down to the sidebar menu, memory usage bar, and even the Music syncing screen. But then again, as we said last night, iTunes is basically the gold standard for syncing apps -- every other proprietary app we've used, from the Palm Desktop app all the way back to the proprietary Sony app I used to use with my old minidisc player, is more or less rubbish. It's great that Crackberry users will finally get to sync directly with their Mac using an official program, but it is funny that that program looks almost exactly like iTunes.

[via Ars]

Considering that it's turned out to be one of the most successful products in consumer electronics history, the volume of nay-saying on the iPhone has been constant and ongoing -- many dismissed the phone when it came out, when it was announced, and even when it was just a glimmer of a hint of a rumor. Now the New York Times Sunday Magazine (and the accompanying blog The Medium) is featuring Virginia Heffernan's tale of hesitancy, anomie and frustration under the surely-not-meant to-draw-online-traffic headline "I Hate My iPhone." Interestingly, just pages away, the paper profiles several successful iPhone developers in a story about the App Store gold rush.

Heffernan's criticisms of the iPhone swing between the rational (the challenge of adapting to the on-screen keyboard, AT&T's mediocre coverage) and the surreal (dislike of the device's "tarty little face" and how it "kept aloof from the animal warmth of my leather wallet"). In fairness, she does admit that she's not thinking particularly clearly. In the end, she returns to the AT&T store where the sales rep seemed to know that she was a troublesome case, and swapped out her iPhone for a Blackberry.

It may be heretical to admit it here, but it's true: the iPhone is not for everyone... excuse me, they've come to take away my fanboy badge, this will take just a second. There, all done; I'm back.

Yes, if you're looking for a high-speed texting and email platform because you live your life in text messaging, the iPhone's keyboard will frustrate you; if you don't care about the incredible universe of apps, the first-rate media player and the best mobile browser, you'd be better off with a Blackberry and a permanent keyboard.

Yes, the iPhone's phone is probably its weakest offering, and the AT&T network has bigger dead zones than Anthony Michael Hall; if you can't tolerate the intermittent dropped call or fuzzy audio (or my personal top annoyance, the "I'm on 3G and my phone just doesn't ring" issue), and you want to focus on the phone, get a free RAZR or shiny Samsung.

In my personal transition from the Blackberry to the iPhone, I found plenty of gotchas and things that took adjustment (#1 is not being able to keep an IM application running in the background, #2 is having to cycle through the home screen to switch apps, and #3 is not being able to easily copy URLs or phone numbers for use elsewhere), but I'm still finding new and enjoyable things about the iPhone every day; my Blackberry was staid and predictable, a useful tool but not a spark of innovation or a way for me to accomplish things I never could do before.

I know there are thousands of unhappy iPhone users, and thousands more who haven't upgraded to the 2.x firmware, visited the App Store or explored one-tenth of the capabilities of their mobile computing platforms. When I saw a family friend a few weeks ago, a lady of a certain age, she was surprised and puzzled when I asked her where she synced her not-that-new iPhone ("I don't understand. If I want to put music or apps on it, I have to connect it to a computer? I have my grandchildren put photos on the phone for me!"). The iPhone isn't for everyone, and there's no judgement in that; you aren't obligated to love it, want it or find it useful. Forgive us, still, if we think that many of you (NY Times columnists excepted) will love it once you try it.

[Hat tip to Apple 2.0]

Here's an interesting idea for the App Store. Gizmodo posts that the new Blackberry "App World" has set a minimum price on its apps, asking no less than $2.99 for whatever you buy in there. At first glance, that's pretty rough -- there are a lot of free apps on the App Store right now that we wouldn't pay 99 cents for, much less $2.99. But then again, Gizmodo is willing to at least suggest the benefit of the doubt: maybe it's done on purpose, to get us past the scourge of the many fart and other useless apps populating the App Store. Maybe if every app is sold for $3 or more, they'll end up all being worth that much, too.

But we have to agree with Gizmodo's conclusion, too: while it would be nice if every app on the store was worth more than $3, there are definitely a few apps out there that are worth having the lower (and free) prices for. And to add to that, it's hard to believe that, even at $3, every app would strive to live up to that price -- most likely what will happen is that you'll end up with just as much crap on the Blackberry's store, except that you'll be paying $2 more for it.

Still, it's an idea. If Apple did a little price tweaking, is it possible that they could ensure a little more quality to what shows up on the store? Or, in the case of the junk that's on there now, will we just end up with higher-priced junk?

Apple saw the iPhone's market share triple over the past year, capturing 12.9 percent of the worldwide smartphone market, according to a new Gartner analysis.

For the quarter ending September 30, iPhones accounted for 3.4 percent of the market in 2007. That figure was more than 3x higher on the same day in 2008.

Nokia is the leader worldwide in smartphone sales, with 42.4 percent of the market. BlackBerry maker Research in Motion comes in second with 15.9 percent. In North America, Apple is in second place behind RIM, with iPhones accounting for over a quarter of all smartphones.

Gartner analyst Roberta Cozza also noted that this quarter marked the first time iPhone sales exceeded those of Windows Mobile devices; that's pretty astonishing when you consider how many flavors of WM handsets are out there.

[Via Macworld.]

Like many of you who read TUAW, I use an iPhone 3G as my day-to-day cell phone, mobile email and SMS device and to watch videos, listen to music and generally be entertained while waiting at the doctor's office, in line for a movie or when I need to kill some time. As many of you also know, there's another company out there besides Apple who's had a pretty tight hold on the "smart" phone market until recently, especially when it comes to mobile email and generally taking care of business as a professional on-the-go. That company, of course, is RIM and their device is the Blackberry.

As of last Friday, RIM has released a new Blackberry they consider a potential "iPhone Killer" or, at the very least, a serious competitor for the iPhone -- the Blackberry Storm. As a Blackberry user prior to switching to the iPhone, I was of course very interested in seeing if the Storm would, in fact, offer any sort of competition to the iPhone. So, to find out, I got a Storm last Friday and spent the weekend using it alongside my iPhone to see how both devices compare when performing many of the tasks I use on a daily basis.

What follows is by no means scientific, nor is it an in-depth review of the Storm. I'll leave that to Engadget. These are just my observations and impressions as an iPhone and Mac user when also using a Storm to accomplish the same tasks.

TheHill.com is reporting that members of the U.S. House of Representatives could be getting iPhones when they return to Washington, D.C. after the elections.

The Chief Administrative Office (CAO) oversees all communications systems for the House and has been testing a small number of iPhones to see how they meet the needs of congressmen and their staffs.

House members and their staffs currently use RIM BlackBerry devices, with nearly 8,200 installed. The CAO delivers all emails to the BlackBerrys using a BlackBerry Enterprise Server. A new server would be required for the iPhones, so the CAO wants to test the devices and email delivery prior to making a decision to approve use of iPhones.

The CAO is testing iPhones simply because a number of people had requested them as an option. If the CAO does approve the iPhone and lawmakers decide to switch, they'll pay for the devices out of their Member's Representational Allowance (i.e., taxpayers will be paying for them).

Adoption of the iPhone by the U.S. Congress could be another blow to RIM, which is now behind Apple in terms of sales and revenues. Apple CEO Steve Jobs gleefully reported that "Apple beat RIM" during yesterday's Q4 Earnings Call.

Thanks to Kyle for the tip!

Update: Jordan Golson points out TheHill.com got this story all wrong.

CIO.com confirms rumors that I've been hearing for at least six months: RIM is preparing to release native BlackBerry utilities for Mac users. According to CIO.com's source, who requested anonymity, the software tools are being prepped for the first half of 2009.

This is great news for any BlackBerry user who also happens to be a Mac fanatic. It's hard enough to reconcile using a 'Berry when all your friends and colleagues are on iPhones -- but the desktop software situation can make even the most die-hard CrackBerry fan reconsider his or her mobile device choice.

Right now, there are two ways to connect the BlackBerry with OS X: PocketMac, which is free and just got an update, and The Missing Sync, which is $39.95. Neither option allows you to upgrade your BlackBerry's onboard OS, make backups of your programs or settings, or reliably install software directly onto the device. You can sync your contacts and calendar (but be careful, the wrong step might nuke them), access and transfer photos and music, and charge the BlackBerry, but that's pretty much where the Mac experience ends.

As of right now, the only way a Mac user can actually upgrade the OS on his or her BlackBerry is to use BootCamp or a virtualization program like VMWare Fusion or Parallels. It's the kind of PITA that prevents people like me from hacking around with their phones, unless I have a fully updated VM handy. If you don't have an Intel Mac or you don't have a Windows license -- you've basically got to find someone who does, and borrow their computer.

Thankfully, not only does it look like native Mac tools are FINALLY going to arrive, future OS updates will be done OTA (over the air), putting an end to this sort of nastiness once and for all. Frankly, I can't wait until I can actually manage my BlackBerry without having to run a virtual machine.

Although the iPhone is the mobile platform of choice for many Mac users, some of us actually use something else. Shocking, I know. Whether it is by choice or dictated by work, tons of Mac users are also BlackBerry users. The problem is, native BlackBerry support is non-existent, leading crackberry/Mac addicts to choose between two software solutions: PocketMac and The Missing Sync. PocketMac is free for all BlackBerry users, thanks to a licensing agreement with RIM, and has just been updated to version 4.1.25.

Here are some of the highlights:

• Support for Lotus Notes 7 and Entourage 2008 PIM sync. Entourage users have been waiting for this since Office 2008 was released earlier this year.
• Support for syncing non-protected iTunes playlists (Windows users don't get all the fun).
• Support for syncing iPhoto photos and albums to the BlackBerry, with options to keep albums intact and scale photos for the device. You can also import BlackBerry photos directly to iPhoto.
• Sync Notes from Leopard's Mail.app
• Support for all BlackBerry units released as of May 2008

Sadly, if you are one of the lucky BB users with a BlackBerry Bold (which is rolling out in the US in September), early web reports are saying that the Bold is NOT compatible with PocketMac at this time. I will say, in the past, the drivers for new BlackBerry devices have been released pretty quickly, so as soon as the Bold release become a little more widespread, I fully expect a driver update to surface.

I'm not sure if PocketMac 4.1.25 works with devices running BlackBerry OS 4.5 (my carrier hasn't officially upgraded yet), but if you are running 4.5, let us know in the comments if you can use the latest version of PocketMac. Want to make your BlackBerry look more Mac-like? Try one of the free Leopard themes available here.

PocketMac 4.1.25 requires OS X 10.3.9 or higher and is free for all BlackBerry users.

Thinking of making the switch? No, not Windows to Mac, Blackberry to iPhone! There's a great list of what you need to know to ensure a smooth transition at Web Worker Daily (WWD). Some of the highlights include the ease of moving applications between home pages and multiple calendar support.

It's not all wine and roses on the Apple end of things, though, and WWD lists the email experience as the Blackberry's domain. It's a very thorough list, and one we'd recommend to the informed consumer looking to ditch the 'berry. Read the full article here.

The wizards of sync at Mark/Space have announced the availability of The Missing Sync for iPhone (for Windows). This is the Windows edition of the package that takes PIM data from your existing Palm OS, BlackBerry, Symbian OS, or Windows Mobile device and moves it to your sparkly new iPhone.

Like its Mac counterpart, the Windows version of The Missing Sync for iPhone comes with three separate applications that let you pull your SMS text messages, Call Log, and Notes from the iPhone. The app is available from Mark/Space for $39.95 and runs on PCs with Windows XP or Vista. To use the Migration Assistant feature of The Missing Sync for iPhone, you'll also need to have Microsoft Outlook 2003 or 2007 on your PC.

The Missing Sync for iPhone comes in English, French, and German localized versions.

In the interest of full disclosure, I wrote the User Guide for The Missing Sync for iPhone under contract to Mark/Space.