BlackBerry Remains No.1 in South Africa

BlackBerry 8520 (Curve 2) is the most popular smartphone in South Africa

Remember the days when owning a BlackBerry was a great status symbol and many people did all sorts of ridiculous things to get one? They are long gone even in Nigeria where the craze was ubiquitous and really high. There is no doubt that BlackBerry is still popular in Nigeria despite the emergence of Android as the dominant OS globally and also in Nigeria. However, it appears BlackBerry still rules the South African smartphone market as this report indicates...

BlackBerry Ltd (BBRY) Still Retains its Market Lead in One Country (and It’s Not the One You’re Thinking)

BlackBerry Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) is still a market leader in one particular country, and has been since their glory days of several years ago, before Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOGL) and Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) hungrily ate up their market share like a starving man at a buffet. If you thought Canada, BlackBerry Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY)’s home and native land was that country, you are wrong. As reported by Quartz, the country is South Africa, where BlackBerry Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY)’s five-year-old 8520 Curve has been the top phone for four years running.

BlackBerry Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY)’s free messaging service between devices is cited as the primary reason for the device’s continuing success in South Africa. Before free app messaging services like WhatsApp became prominent, free messages between devices was a major feature, and that has fueled a sort of self-sustaining ecosystem of BlackBerry Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) users.

That is further reflected in the fact that BlackBerry Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) actually has the three most-used smartphones in the country, not just the top one. The 9320 Curve and 9300 Curve 3G Kepler come in at second and third, according to data released by Vodacom, the nation’s top provider. The 9360 Curve also comes in at seventh, while the Samsung Galaxy S4 and Apple iPhone 5 come in at ninth and tenth respectively.

In Canada meanwhile, the patriotism that once existed for the Canadian tech company has mostly evaporated. In fact, a report from comScore earlier this year showed that BlackBerry Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY)’s market share had fallen to just 5% in Canada, beneath their global share. Apple and Google (Android) meanwhile control over 80% of the Canadian market.

BlackBerry Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) releases their latest quarterly earnings next week, with analysts predicting earnings of just $0.16 per share, compared to $0.47 a year ago. The struggling smartphone maker also releases their new “Passport” phone on September 24, and has a press event scheduled for September 29, where new smartphones and other devices may be unveiled. BlackBerry Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) is rumored to be researching wearables, and could possibly reveal a new smartwatch on the heels of Apple’s recent announcement.

Source: Insider Monkey