From ZD Net...

Apple's iPhone has half the failure rate of RIM's BlackBerry in the first year of use, a study carried out by a mobile-phone warranty firm has found.

The SquareTrade study

Figures from the analyst firm Canalysys, released last week, showed Apple has now overtaken RIM in the global smartphone sales stakes.

SquareTrade had to project their figures for the iPhone's failure rate over a two-year period, as the handset has not been available for that long — nonetheless, that rate came in at between nine to 11 percent. The equivalent failure rate for BlackBerry handsets was 14.3 percent, with the Treo coming in at 21 percent.

Breaking the figures down, the most prominent malfunctions for iPhone users appear to be touchscreen-related, accounting for a third of all reported issues with that handset. However, 12 percent of iPhone users reported accidental damage to their handsets within the first year of use — the average for other handsets is nine percent.

"It's likely that any iPhone owner can guess the reason iPhone accidents are so common," the authors wrote. "After two minutes of handling an iPhone, it's impossible to escape noticing that the handsets are incredibly slippery. The form doesn't help, either. The dimensions make for a difficult grip, especially for those with small hands. These two factors conspire to make the iPhone more accident prone than just about any other handset model we've seen."

The report's authors also noted that fewer than half-a-percent of iPhone owners reported battery problems after a year of use, compared with around one percent for BlackBerry and Treo users.

SquareTrade's study did not take into account software issues handled directly by the retailer or fixed by firmware updates.

ZDNet UK has requested comment on SquareTrade's report from both RIM and Apple, but had not received it at the time of writing.

yeah wabbit and i went on about this study the other day. It shows that apple does put out good quality devices. The RIM side of it is up for debate so I'm told, because they used the whole product line rather than one model. To me its still a bad study for RIM.

I think it's interesting. Apple's 2 products compared to RIM's whole line of products?... And Apple is selling more, even though their product is only sold through 1 carrier, while RIM's products are sold through multiple carriers?...

um its sold through like 60 carriers, even more by the end of the year. The numbers you see are for worldwide sales not just US.

Blah blah blah.....I'll stick with my blackberry. Had my Pearl for two years with little to no problems whatsoever.

There are more holes in this study than in a wheel of Swiss cheese. Just to start off -- the sampling was limited to people who purchased an extended warranty. Then, the study compares actual "data" about BB & Treo with projected data about iPhone. And there are far too many variables that weren't controlled to make this a legitimate study.

Oh ok. I don't know why I was thinking just the U.S...

I work with a guy who has an iphone and he boasts about it all the time, cant wait for the storm to come out so he'll be quiet. Ill stick with my blackberry thanks

Multiple phone models vs a single phone doesn't seem very scientific...


neither 9 or 11 are half of 14.3. If you are going to say "equivalent failure rate", then say "the failure rate is half" and the numbers do not match, then something is wrong.

That aside, I'm sure most of the "accidents" were people SOMEHOW managing to screw up a jailbreak. ;)

I've dropped my Touch a few times because of the awkward shape. Very hard to hold. Quite happy with my Bold. No plans to swap it for a Storm. I like the hard keys.

I would also argue that BB devices are a little more complex to set up and customize compared to the iPhone, so when new BB users get it and can't figure it out, they report it as broken and return it, artificially inflating the repair and return figures. Apple definitely has made a good device and made it easy for anyone to set up. That said, I love my BB and would never go to an iPhone.

its a study on physical breakdowns not software, if the BB is too complex for people thats another issue not one dealt with in this study.

The study was crap. I have friends with iPhones that are always having problems, and dropping calls. "My phone won't charge" "It keeps freezing"

My response?: "call me from a land line"

Keeping the BB..... done

now that sounds like my friends with bolds and storms.

Ah yes, because your study of the iPhone market amongst your group of friends is entirely indicative of the entire iPhone market.

Sounds like my Curve and Bold !!LOL !! Constantly rebooting and freezing !! Haven't had any issues to date with my iPhone though, simply flawless !

Realize that Apple only has one model to deal with, whereas RIM has Pearl, Curve, Storm, Bold, etc.

Agreed....but also realize that each and every one of RIM's models still has twice the problems Apple's one model does on an individual comparison, (as seen here in the forums for each model).

The study is a bit biased if you ask me. It depends on whether the participant is either an Iphone User or a BB user. Both phone manufacturers have their certain flaws and they could only merit from this study if they make their products better in the future.

my 2cents.
blackberry's have more moveable parts then an iphone(~5 buttons vs blackberries like 4/5~ qwerty+ more)

That and um. People kill blackberries. I broke the scroll wheel on my 8700 in about 6 months of use. I think people use blackberries far far more often then they do iphones.

Who actually writes 2 page email on an IPhone? Really?! I've lost count ..how many times I have on a bb.

.....
I know many companies buy refurb blackberries...And I was say at least 20% of those break in the first few months of use. At least in my experience.

I don't know about that. I use my iphone just as much, if not more then my Blackberry.

Aren't the majority of Blackberries company owned and issued devices also? People tend to be somewhat less careful with company property as opposed to a personal device they've paid for out of their own pockets.

With the touch screen, the iPhone has fewer moving parts to break, get misused or otherwise fail. I bet a great percentage of the BB failures have to do with the trackball not working properly.

i agree. also, it might have to do with ppl NOT READING the BB FAQ

BB FAQ or not, my BB has had several issues with the trackball, sticking keys, discolored trackball from dirt/dust, and of course the ever so popular, faded keys.