I'd Rather Have a BlackBerry than an Android Smartphone

Written by: Sandy Samra • Edited by: Simon Hill
Updated May 19, 2011 • Related Guides: Android | Blackberry Devices | Blackberry

Android is the latest OS but it isn’t as refined as the Blackberry OS. Blackberry is ‘business centric’ whereas Android is more ‘app centric’. Check out this article to see who wins the Blackberry vs Android battle!

BlackBerry or Android?

Even though large number of consumers are opting for smartphones, the primary driver for the smartphone market is enterprise and small businesses. All the smartphone devices available in the market offer sleek designs, touch control, web browsing, multimedia designs, basic multi-tasking and advanced messaging options. While buying a smartphone, consumers are driven by product design, brand and price, however businesses are driven by applications, manageability and security issues.

Today, RIM with BlackBerry and Google with Android are two of the leading smartphone providers. In some ways, there seems to be a battle going on between these two. Meanwhile, BlackBerry has a strong lead in the business sector; Google has entered this battle with its Android OS. Yet, only one can emerge victorious. Let us compare the two and find out who wins the BlackBerry vs Android battle.

click to enlarge

BlackBerry vs Android

Despite starting out as a business device, the BlackBerry brand appeals to a large consumer audience. BlackBerry has the best email platform and is a runaway leader in smartphone security. It has catered to businesses since its inception. It would not be wrong to say that BlackBerry has created the smartphone phenomena. The backend infrastructure that BlackBerry developed gave the enterprises and their IT departments a reason to deploy smartphones. BlackBerry offers centralized device management for IT departments with its BlackBerry Server Enterprise (BES) and Blackberry Server Enterprise Express (BESx) on the backend. It has an easy to use keypad or touchscreen, great display and long lasting battery life. A BlackBerry is a tough phone that can stand rough usage without easily breaking or scratching.

Last but not least, BlackBerry has a well built network of third party vendors who develop enterprise class services and a line of business applications for BlackBerry devices. Unlike Google Android, RIM’s only line of business is its BlackBerry smartphone, so it won’t risk taking an eye off its competitors and losing momentum.

On the other hand, the competitive advantage that Google Android has over BlackBerry is that it is the first truly open and comprehensive mobile platform. The Android’s ability to customize provides its users the benefit of having a wide range of applications, although this will depend on the carrier. The latest Android smartphone processors are faster than the BlackBerry processors and they ship with very good browsers that even support Flash Lite. Android has proven to be quite popular among consumers and device manufacturers. Its market share in the US has more than doubled from 2.8% in 2009 to 7.1% in the first quarter of 2010.

Android Risks

Despite the success, Android is likely to face many problems. Android’s open source software is plagued by many security issues. Android based devices could be at high risk of being hacked and the user’s personal data could fall into the wrong hands. Perhaps, the biggest drawback is its open security business model that lacks code signed certificates and security keys. This model allows any application to install and run thereby increasing the risk of being attacked by spyware and malware.

Statistics

Today, BlackBerry phones are more popular than competitor devices.

As of January 2010, RIM has approximately sold up to 100 million mobile phone devices. RIM is the leader in the smartphone market with 43% market share contrary to the industry rumors that Android has wiped out the BlackBerry market share. Whereas, Android only makes up 7.1% of the market share.
click to enlarge

116,667 BlackBerry devices were shipped daily as compared to 65,000 Android devices per day during the first quarter of 2010.
click to enlarge

According to Myxer’s March 2010 mobile content download statistics, RIM's BlackBerry accounts for 63% of the total smartphone downloads from the site, outpacing Android with 14% of the total downloads.
click to enlarge

Conclusion

click to enlarge

The Android is clearly a user friendly, multitasking and easily customizable device whereas BlackBerry is an unbeatable email platform that wirelessly synchronizes contacts, calendars and notes. BlackBerry devices are for someone who uses a lot of email and relies more on a physical keyboard, though RIM has entered the touchscreen segment with its Blackberry Storm 2. Its simple navigation, synchronized calendars and lesser applications attract many users. In contrast, Android is primarily developed for touchscreen interfaces. Android is for someone who does not rely much on mails and prefers a personalized phone that offers an array of applications.

Let’s face it, RIM's BlackBerry has the lead in all the factors we discussed and it’s a terrific industry and consumer standard device whereas Android is more app centric. This functional device is the Numero Uno in industry use. Therefore those who want a secure and manageable smartphone device should look at getting a BlackBerry, the winner of our Android vs BlackBerry comparison.

Guest Dec 11, 2011 1:45 AM

RE: I'd Rather Have a BlackBerry than an Android Smartphone

Open source software is usually more secure fyi. Why do you think most people choose to host their websites on a Linux platform over a Windows platform?

Booblah Dec 11, 2011 1:43 AM

Android synchronizes your e-mail, calendar, notes, and more from your Google account. Please at least try to make valid arguments if you want to favor Blackberry.

AutoCorrection Nov 30, 2011 11:34 PM

Actually, the BB OS is leaps and bounds more secure than Android or any other mobile os in existence, including QNX. Ever wonder why the jvm and bootloader have yet to be cracked, despite years longer in the marketplace? This is why many government agencies use them [insane certificates and smartcard support]. With Android or iOS it's cake, even remotely.

Axscieze Sep 6, 2011 3:15 PM

comment

First let us start with facts. Your statistical data and presentation lean towards the BB, Why would you present data like this? You are purposefully misleading people. "As of January 2010, RIM has approximately sold up to 100 million mobile phone devices. RIM is the leader in the smartphone market with 43% market share contrary to the industry rumors that Android has wiped out the BlackBerry market share. Whereas, Android only makes up 7.1% of the market share." -- How old is the BB? How old is the android. When comparing it should be apples to apples.

--Shipping more BBs than androids? are you serious? get more recent data than that... Androids market share is at 43% vs 12% from RIM. as of q22011.

Your last "Stat" Download from myxers., Reporting Bias. Why would you get a 3party mobile content site if iphones have itunees and appstore, BB has their own download site and android has the droid market.

Security... Next thing your going to say is because its open linux is not a safe operating system. Do you know what you are talking about? (droid is based on linux) They have enterprise etc for businesses.

I have a 9000 that is used for BBM thats it, I am currently very happy with my galaxy s2. Do i need to even compare that with a bb?

If anything breaks on an android you can fix it yourself, BBs if something breaks you just have to pray they will fix it (same with an iphone) BB's are not very user friendly and very useful to me

palash barania Sep 2, 2011 12:00 PM

android id awesome

on behalf of complete anlysis i conclude that android open source is far better then blackberries costly application platform blackberry is very much difficult to operate by a normal user. blackberry is the phone made only for business professionals but android suits all.

James Aug 27, 2011 10:29 AM

Blackberry Vs Android

You don't know what you talking about, blackberries are filled with problems, Bluetooth, crashes, email failure, and there internet is not free > you pay at the beginning of the month and you are restricted...
The torch is not even comparable to phones like the galaxy s 2, since people argue that its nice becuase of the free internet > ITS NOT FREE!!!! Get a proper phone and convert from blackberry to Android + get network data bundles since they are unrestricted and work out cheaper anyway.

Anthony Pencook Aug 21, 2011 7:08 PM

Blackberry

Well my Android was working fine at first, but as time went by it started getting slower and slower. I called up the At&t people and asked them which was better, but said both phones are good. Should I keep my Android or trade it in for the Blackberry?

Anonymous Jul 23, 2011 3:20 PM

(I hope my English is correct, am from Belgium please forgive me if my English isn't correct)

I have had regular phones always and now I want to buy a Blackberry Bold 9780 or maybe if the new Bold 9900 arrives, that one. But I heard ffom everyone that Android is so much better but from what I read here is that Android is only better in apps. But what is also true (that's the same with iOS) is that in the app-store you do have so much more but most of them are the same: you have a regular version and a light version, you have MSN, MSN messenger, eBuddy, eBuddy PRO, facebook, facebook chat, ping-something, .... All of them just giving the option to stay in touch 'all of them are better then the others'
And what is also true: personal preferences. If you like touch screen you do have a lot more choice with Android (with blackberry just one phone, maybe a second one in the future) but if you like a physical keybord (wich sometimes goes faster then a touchscreen) you are way better of with Blackberry I think....

shivam srivastava Mar 25, 2011 6:15 AM

blackberry vs android

Android is the best one and better than blackberry as its having infinite apps, faster browsing etc.. which is the major part of winning this war....!!!

Wadya Mar 16, 2011 11:14 AM

Current Android Marketshare

Could you please find out what are latest Market share numbers for i-Phone, Android and Blackberry. In US as well as all over the world? Is it possible to update this article as Android also supports serious Enterprise / Corporate E-Mail and also implemented various security related features.

Don Martin Mar 11, 2011 11:30 AM

Blackberry's Best Days Have Passed

I've been a long time Blackberry user, but am now a happy Android phone owner. Blackberry's still 2MP camera with no flash on the latest 3G curve is partial proof (not that I use my phone for taking pictures much). The proprietary OS, slow processor, slow rendering of web pages, lack of decent apps and on and on.
Don't think I could ever go back to a BB after a few months with Android.

Joe Mar 9, 2011 10:10 AM

Android also...

Android also has an easy to use keypad or touchscreen, great display and long lasting battery life(with some mod). Many android phones are tough phone that can stand rough usage without easily breaking or scratching.
Unlike Google Android, RIM’s only line of business is its BlackBerry smartphone. No competitor=no hardware development

Anupam Jain Mar 3, 2011 7:17 AM

Thanks

Thanks for the writeup. This would definitely help people in making a decision. Appreciate your effort in helping others.

Mark L Feb 23, 2011 4:04 PM

Android is the Future

This very argument - Leading market share, mature features, blah, blah, blah .... was made in the past - when Novell controlled the Server market in the mid 1990's all we heard was how great it was and that Windows could never replace such a mature OS. The same will happen to the Blackberry - with it's proprietary OS - Android is open and matured, secrued fetaure will follwo with each new release - Open source is evolution - Apache and Tomcat - leading web and App servers are fine examples of Open Source fetaures maturing and becoming the standard. All you Blackberry folks need to open your minds a bit - the fucntions are coming - soon !

Don Murray Feb 14, 2011 3:52 PM

Blackberry vs android

Not true. Blackberry are useful because they do have better security due to the way they limit access to the internal hardware, but that also means that their apps are not as extensive. I just switched from Blackberry storm to a Motorola Droid 2 (Android) and the Droid 2 kicks the pants off the blackberry in every way, email, apps, phone calls (my storm wasn't a very good phone even and it's touchscreen made errors on a regular basis), attention to detail, user interface, etc, etc, etc.....kicks blackberrys pants off!!!! I love android. Note that I used to develop for blackberry phones too...