I recently switched my cell phone carrier and as a result of the switch, I received two RIM Blackberry Storms for my wife and I. I will not mention which company I left and which company I went to. I will say that I sprinted away from my previous mobile phone carrier to be a part of “America’s most reliable network.” Anyway, the previous company lacked the most advanced phones and I often felt left out because all of my business counterparts had Apple iPhones in their possession.

The iPhone is more than a telephone and a multi media hand held device, it represents the best in innovation. The iPhone changed the world of mobile phones by combining interactivity and the ability to perform many office functions on the go. One of the best qualities of the iPhone has been the touch screen. This technology has allowed for the iPhone to create an interactive experience for its users. This in itself has been attractive to business owners, including myself. I never had the opportunity to own one however because it is an AT&T wireless exclusive product.

I was jealous, envious, and frustrated that everyone else could experience the latest in technology but I was unable to. These feelings have subsided since my acquisition of the Blackberry Storm. Blackberry telephones have been highly regarded as the business phone for executives and individuals on the go. They were the first devices giving users access to email on the go and they kinda set the standard. Blackberry has lacked the entertainment component of other phones however. iPhone came on the scene and began to gather marketshare because of this. The iPhone became a combination of the blackberry model and the mobile media player (which Apple also revolutionized).

I’ve always owned a smart phone of some sort from windows mobile and palm devices to Blackberrys. The blackberry has been my phone of choice for the past three years because of the ease of use and the way it allowed me to stay connected away from the office. The iPhone almost made me switch platforms. I believe RIM listened to their users and realized they had to make changes to keep customers on their platform.

Enter the Blackberry Storm…How is the Blackberry Storm going to take the marketshare back? The Storm combines the typical business functionality blackberry is known for, but also takes the iPhone model of entertainment and interactivity into account. Seriously, who would have ever imagined a touch screen blackberry! Although there are more developers and applications for the iPhone, the Storm allows for the installation of some of the best applications iPhone has to offer, such as Pandora.

The iPhone still has the upperhand in the area of applications, but I personally believe as an all around business phone, more people are going to consider the Storm, especially dedicated Blackberry users. There is a complaint that the iPhone has WIFI and the Storm doesn’t, but the new model of the Storm will have it included. I have mixed feelings on WIFI on a cell phone, after all it is a mobile phone!

All in all the Storm will become the best competition for the iPhone. Many believe the Palm Pre should be in this argument, but I do not believe it will have the longevity of the iPhone or the Storm because they are built on reliable brands with better innovative ideas. As more applications become compatible with the Storm, many individuals may switch back from iPhones to Blackberry.