RIM calls the Storm "Verizon's best-selling device" -- whatever that means

We're still no closer to determining just how many BlackBerry Storm sales have been reversed by now, but either way, said handset is reportedly Verizon's "best-selling device." Interestingly, it's up to your best guess as to what that really signifies, as the quantity of Storm devices sold remains tightly under wraps. In other words, you could take that to mean it's the bestselling right now (highly probable) or that it has already outsold all other VZW handsets in two short months (not at all probable). In other, more substantiated news, RIM has proclaimed that it sold 6.9 million smartphones between September and November of this year, which -- coincidentally enough -- is exactly how many iPhone 3Gs that Apple sold through in its Q4. So RIM, whenever you feel like dishing out that exact figure that only everyone, everywhere is waiting for, we'll be listening.

[Via Silicon Alley Insider]

[000000 @ Dec 18th 2008 8:15PM]

Relax already with who sold however many devices. So I'm supposed to buy whatever phone sells the most?... I mean I guess you have to report it but I don't think we really care. We only care what we like.

[Rafael Lugo @ Dec 18th 2008 8:29PM]

WEll The real question is how many have been returned. I know at least 5 peple, including myself that got the Storm and returned it shortly after.

[who? @ Dec 18th 2008 8:59PM]

Knowing the sales figures is important to potential buyers because it shows what will stick around in years to come. If it is selling badly, and will likely be discontinued, it buying it would result in a lack of support, updates, and a suitably familar new model to move on to (not as harsh of a learning curve).

[iEye #2 @ Dec 18th 2008 8:59PM]

Refurbs!

[Flashpoint @ Dec 18th 2008 9:41PM]

IT MEANS:

people rushed out and bought it.

now they have buyer's remorse.

[iEye #2 @ Dec 18th 2008 9:52PM]

People ruched out and bought the iPhone... heck some even slept in the streets over night.. No remorse... even after the $200 iRape fiasco...

So hmm what do you make of that! Jack!?

[Alex @ Dec 18th 2008 8:16PM]

Hate the Storm much?

[fred @ Dec 18th 2008 8:26PM]

Really.

I think the Engadget staff believes that this device has received a little too much good press, and is making the iPhone feel bad, so now its time to start going after it.

[ProfessorDex @ Dec 18th 2008 8:33PM]

Yup, I'm sure the iPhone feels horrible as it begins to count how many Storms have been returned.

[Adrian Williams @ Dec 18th 2008 8:40PM]

@Dex
I think the only people returning it are from Engadget or have friends that are cause people on other sites have no problem with it

[jere @ Dec 18th 2008 8:41PM]

I wouldn't say the storm has gotten too much good press. It's certainly gotten a lot of ironic press around here at engadget.

[Teh Lup @ Dec 18th 2008 8:43PM]

If its not the made by (self-righteous electronics manufacturer) then Engadget won't back it.

And people wonder why people who own gadgets made by (self-righteous electronics manufacturer) are said to be - technological egotistical.

[fred @ Dec 18th 2008 9:01PM]

"Yup, I'm sure the iPhone feels horrible as it begins to count how many Storms have been returned."

As said by Engadget:

"Based on a pile of anecdotal evidence and hearsay..."

This is nothing short of a hit job by Engadget on the Storm. They created a story and are trying to spread some FUD on behalf of Apple.

[Paul Chapel @ Dec 18th 2008 9:37PM]

If only we could freeze dry the absolute hate and hysteria people feel toward Apple. We could make lots of money selling it as a bio toxin to countries like iRan and buy maybe 2 Mac Pros, maybe even 3!!!

[CraigJ @ Dec 18th 2008 9:58PM]

I know someone that really wanted it until she spent some time with her SO's. He's not all that happy with his and has a little buyers remorse, and since he spends a lot of time in Europe (why he got a Verizon phone when he spends 8 months out of the year in GSM territory is beyond me). She decided to get an iPhone instead. Having said that there were people that didn't like the iPhone either.

It's all anecdotal until Verizon decides to release numbers, which they probably won't, because there is probably no way at this point, in this economy that the storm will approach the success of the iPhone. Not necessarily because it sucks, but because sales are down across the board, and from a marketing perspective it would be bad.

[Kspraydad @ Dec 18th 2008 10:25PM]

Maybe "Mike" Lazaridis needs to get cancer.

[Mobius_1 @ Dec 18th 2008 8:17PM]

Well, according to your poll, 80% of Engadget readers haven't bought one.

But anyways, I hope they can really carry on making great touchscreen phones, just without the launch fiasco of this, please.

[thepixelpuncher @ Dec 18th 2008 8:18PM]

It's not that hard to be the best when there isn't anything to compare it to on the same network....

[HOOPER @ Dec 18th 2008 8:26PM]

dude your avatar is giving me a nightmare

[Jonathan-DBOSS @ Dec 18th 2008 8:18PM]

Its already ovah 9000

[gonintendo @ Dec 18th 2008 9:02PM]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHg5SJYRHA0

[jake @ Dec 18th 2008 8:19PM]

Besides from the rocky launch and the wi-fi thing, it seemed like a solid phone. I guess we'll see.

[iEye #2 @ Dec 18th 2008 8:20PM]

Verizon says a lot of things...


I would not pay attention to these guys, lest us not forget...
"Verizon rejected Apple iPhone deal"

[why not the LS2LS7? @ Dec 18th 2008 8:20PM]

Wow, looks who is high on themselves.

If Verizon doesn't answer to you, are you going to take your ball and go home, engadget?

[WickedEast @ Dec 18th 2008 11:27PM]

I'd like to see Engadget do their whinny little bitching act (like they are doing here) with Apple and ask for *real info* about Macbook Air sales. Of course, that will never happen because Engadget is Apple's bitch.

[killermojo @ Dec 18th 2008 8:21PM]

Your Storm hate is getting pretty blatant, guys. It's not an iPhone, we get it already.

[fred @ Dec 18th 2008 8:31PM]

At this point if you dont believe that Engadget isnt in the back pocket of the iPhone then you are blind on purpose.

I mean, Isnt it obvious that RIM or Verizon is lying? They "say" that this phone is selling well, but Engadget needs them to prove it, while they completely accept anything that Apple feeds them, and will reprint it verbatim without question.

[UnixSystemsEngineer @ Dec 18th 2008 8:33PM]

I love people who assume because it's Apple it must suck and if it's not, it must be great.

Maybe instead of chalking it up to bias, you should try using the Storm.

[Tmoney1876 @ Dec 19th 2008 3:11AM]

Agreed.

Whose cereal did BB shit in on the engadget staff?

Seriously though? 2 posts bashing the storm? Seriously?

[somebody7 @ Dec 18th 2008 8:37PM]

For a minute there, I thought I was at BGR (ATT Fanboy) not Engadget.

[Rob Conway @ Dec 18th 2008 10:48PM]

i don't know, i just don't get you guys. this article doesn't seem to be bashing RIM or Verizon or the Storm itself. It's customary for companies to release sales data for products that they are bragging about. What's wrong with asking for the numbers?

If the so-called "Apple Bias" here on Engadget is so terrible, why do you guys keep coming back when there's so many other comparable electronics blogs out there? I'm not being a smart ass, I'm honestly curious. If I felt like they were always on Microsoft's dick, and hating everything else, I would probably stop reading this site.

[Biomech @ Dec 18th 2008 8:23PM]

I just -love- running over to Engadget to read Darren Murph's witty and highly humorous posts.

[ProfessorDex @ Dec 18th 2008 8:34PM]

No one's forcing you.

[reiG3 @ Dec 18th 2008 8:23PM]

I went into the Verizon store yesterday looking for the Storm. They had an operating version of it. As much as I wanted to like it it just seems to not work well, at least not that copy. I would press a button to open an app and wait for it. Figured it didnt work pressed another and then the first opened. It was frustrating to say the least as far as operating a BB goes. It was not anywhere as smooth working as my Pearl given they are different phones. I will wait for something else I guess.

ReiG3

[Atra @ Dec 18th 2008 8:28PM]

The in store examples are notorious for being on for days on end and having multiple background programs on that they shoudn't like facebook and the likes. I have a Storm and it runs fast enough. Not as fast my dad's Pearl but definitely faster then my Samsung Alias. Also you have a Pearl did you check for opened programs?

[dkrift @ Dec 18th 2008 8:24PM]

When has engadget started to sound like whinny bitches?

[BobFromVegas @ Dec 18th 2008 8:43PM]

Ever since another mobile device got good press.

Only IPhone can get good press according to Engadget.

[WickedEast @ Dec 18th 2008 11:31PM]

Ever since they became Apple's bitches.

[mcatrage @ Dec 18th 2008 11:36PM]

Been that way for awhile now. Unless it's a review I really don't want to hear the writers opinion I just like to see tech news and find about new products.

Sadly such a website doesn't exist all these bloggers think I care what they think.

[Larry Bank @ Dec 18th 2008 8:24PM]

Doesn't sound surprising that many people are returning them. Going from only selling keyboard devices to a touchscreen device is a big jump. For people that want a little computer to fiddle with, touchscreens make sense. For people that want a phone to make calls and operate with one hand, buttons are better.

[Lee @ Dec 18th 2008 11:06PM]

Not as big a jump as going from selling a locked in monopoly of a computer platform to selling cell phones. I have had my storm for about a week now, and NO slow downs! What the hell are these people doing with their Storms? Running recursive algorithms?!!?

[Atra @ Dec 18th 2008 8:33PM]

I am very dissapointed that Engadget has had two posts today blasting the Storm. I would like Engadget to wait two months and re-review the Storm once it has had it's proper inital updates just like the Iphone's first bug fix update that occured in two months. Then try and compare the two phones and don't just blatently bash RIM, Verizon and the Storm.

[Sean @ Dec 18th 2008 8:40PM]

Engadget, how much you get paid by Apple?

[iEye #2 @ Dec 18th 2008 8:53PM]

Fifteen shuffles, and not a penny more....

[Brightlights @ Dec 18th 2008 10:52PM]

Apparently, they are switch hitters from what I can see...
* referring to lone blackberry storm ad banner on top page header *
Tech blogging can be so scandalous -

[webterractive @ Dec 18th 2008 8:40PM]

Results are not a lie as the Storm has sold, but these numbers don't count the returns, that will happen in the next quarter for RIM.

[grull27 @ Dec 18th 2008 8:40PM]

They're just trying to dispel the rumors that it has a high return rate. Oh, and the Engadget authors are acting like little bitches because something is taking some of the spotlight away from the iPhone.

[Phil @ Dec 18th 2008 8:43PM]

Quick Question...

Why Verizon, RIM?
1) They make your phones look a lot worse than they are (via hardware reductions and disabling whatnot)
2) Possibly the worst network ever (Sure it's the largest, but the coverage is AWFUL, at least in the Greater Orlando area. But hey, 1.6 million people? Who cares?)
3) Slowest 3G (CDMA and GSM)
4) High prices for phones (AT&T wins this one) and contracts (Sprint here)
5) This isn't the first launch fiasco Verizon has had...
6) Awful customer service

Even Sprint is better than Verizon, not to mention T-Mobile or AT&T

*sigh*

[Trent @ Dec 18th 2008 9:03PM]

Sprint is better than Verizon? Oh dear god...the people on here who have not a clue about what they are blabbing about.

[Phil @ Dec 18th 2008 9:14PM]

Yeah... never mind my own personal experience with both, speed tests, data coverage maps, customer service rankings, customer satisfaction rankings

Never mind the fact that Verizon put's their own shitty proprietary OS on all non-smartphone devices (and blackberrys), locks down GPS, reduces memory, cpu and ram on most phones, gives their smartphones updates weeks after they came out for other providers

Never mind that Verizon managed to screw up their Storm launch worse than AT&T did

Never mind any of that.