End of a (Blackberry) Era?

Judging from recent sales trends and industry predictions, it seems as if the Blackberry era might be ending, as its share of the smartphone has entered a period of decline. This is not much of a surprise to anyone that keeps up to date on smartphones: the ascent of iPhones and Google’s Android operating system have rendered Blackberry technology as somewhat antiquated.

We can’t say this is necessarily a bad thing for seniors: Blackberry’s main appeal was its ability to provide email efficiently. But the truth is that the iPhone and Android models now accomplish that task just as well, but can also do a lot more. In fact, iPhone users can download about 30 times more apps than their Blackberry counterparts.

This is particularly true with apps that seniors might find noteworthy. The sort of innovative apps –such as Video MD and OpenSpace — that are available with iPhones or Androids aren’t available with Blackberrys.

For a while, Blackberry’s had the upper hand among seniors, as they were equipped with full keyboard, which happened to be a more efficient for seniors, than touch screens. However, iPhone and Android keyboards have become more responsive, especially with Swype coming to Android.

If the Blackberry era is really come to a close, then it is due to the fact that Android and the iPhone have essentially upped-the-ante. They have created user-friendly, intuitive smartphones, which is ultimately a positive development for seniors.

BlackBerry