A few interesting news items this week relating to the evolution of sales models for Apple, RIM and other intelligent devices. Alec Saunders and others write about Tryphone, a web-based handset simulator.
The Detroit News is reporting that RIM has opened its first Blackberry store in the upscale suburb of Farmington Hills. The store, owned by retailer Wireless Giant is carrier neutral and will handle activations for AT&T;, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless.
The concept of a Blackberry store will be interesting to track as more devices move into the hands of consumers and SOHO users, who don’t have access to a corporate trainer.
I also noticed a news item about the iPhone. Perhaps in a sign that pent-up demand has been satisfied, Apple has increased its limit on orders for iPhone from 2 to 5. Orders still require credit cards – no cash – in an effort to control resale and unlocking.
It is interesting to look at the evolving approaches in retailing intelligent devices.
Update [December 14, 9:40 am]
David George-Cosh, of the Financial Post has also written about the Blackberry store in today’s paper.
There was also an interesting story out today about the LG Voyager displacing the iPhone as the most searched for phone on US wireless carrier websites. I wrote about the Voyager in October when Verizon launched the phone as part of its Christmas line-up.