Smartphone Fever May Infect BlackBerry User Base

A new study reports today's mobile gadget lovers want easy-to-use, consumer-focused types of features more than business types of software, and while that bodes well for the iPhone and Palm's newest Pre , it's not such great news for BlackBerry maker Research in Motion (RIM).

CFI Group, a research industry firm, issued a report this week that states smartphone users want personal life value-add features and applications when it comes to devices. While RIM pushed out some consumer-centric devices in the past year or so, it may want to up that effort as business users could be eyeing gadgets like the iPhone and Pre the next time they're looking to choose a new device.

The group's research reports that devices with consumer-oriented features take top scores in customer satisfaction. According to a press release, the study, based on surveys of more than 1,000 smartphone users, also finds little relationship between smartphone satisfaction and satisfaction with the wireless provider.

For example, while users love the iPhone, which scored 83 out 100 points in the customer satisfaction poll, they don't like exclusive carrier AT&T quite as much. The carrier lags behind Verizon Wireless, T-Mobile and even struggling carrier Sprint in scoring 73 in customer satisfaction among non-iPhone smartphone users -- and 69 when it comes to iPhone users. Verizon and T-Mobile's score was 79, while Sprint hit a 74.

Verizon's high marks are quite an accomplishment given its smartphone portfolio isn't very satisfying to users, as just 38 percent of its customers say their handset is ideal for their needs.

Behind the iPhone, the Palm Pre got a 77 score in satisfaction, ahead of RIM's business-centric BlackBerry (73). Palm's tenured Treo device scored a 70. Other smartphones using the Symbian operating system and Windows environment scored a 66.

The majority of new smartphone owners are using them for mostly personal use, a departure from the early adopters that originally used smartphones primarily for business, notes the release. The research group said the new user audience has much higher expectations.

"The iPhone is the best thing to happen to the smartphone industry because it captured the imagination of a whole new set of consumers that might not have made the smartphone jump," said Doug Helmreich, program director with CFI Group, in the statement. "The iPhone raised the bar not only for other smartphones, but for the networks as well. The new breed of smartphone consumers expect more from their phones, and the iPhone may represent only the tip of a data-intensive iceberg."

Photo courtesy of Apple