Apple AppStore comes to T&T

[E-man]

Apple brings AppStore to 33 additional countries
July 23, 2011 : Nikhil Kumar

Apple has added 33 countries to the list of 90 countries from where users can download apps from app store. Apple monitors the locality of a user and if the user isn’t registered among list of countries that Apple’s app store supports, then the user is blocked from downloading the app from AppStore. So, the move to add more countries is definitely welcoming for users.

The total number of countries that the app store supports now stands at 123 countries. The 33 countries added to the list include Algeria, Angola, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bermuda, Bolivia, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Cayman Islands, Cyprus, Dominica, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, Iceland, Montserrat, Nigeria, Oman, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and The Grenadines, Suriname, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos, Uzbekistan and Yemen.

With popularity of iPhone getting momentum, it’s a wise move by Apple to support more countries. This is beneficial for Apple, as well as developers and users.

[JDB]

Apple has been making a ton of money in hardware sales but to keep it going they need new markets.

I know TnT is very Blackberry-centric and this will slow iPhone adoption but the iPad will be a hit in Trinidad.

[weary1969]

Apple has been making a ton of money in hardware sales but to keep it going they need new markets.

I know TnT is very Blackberry-centric and this will slow iPhone adoption but the iPad will be a hit in Trinidad.

Blackberry d upgraded me2

[Sam]

Apple is de best...

But where they say they opening a store in T&T ?

[lefty]

steups

[D.H.W]

Bmobile is selling them http://bmobile.co.tt/category/handsets/apple/ , or yeh f**k apple 

[E-man]

Apple is de best...

But where they say they opening a store in T&T ?

not a physical store, just access to the appstore through their devices.

[Jah Gol]

I will be getting an ipad2 soon. I guess this will benefit me .

[Bourbon]

steups

More or less.

They would struggle i think initially....you see the prices bmobile have dem iphone for? Nah is aight.

[Jah Gol]

RIM has a significant advantage in local market. The have the benefit of incumbecy as being the first major smartphonre in T&T. Market share stats aren't available but if I say they have 90 % of the smartphone market I'm probably underestimating it. The cost of switching to the iphone is probitive and the android phones don't have the same level of brand recognition here. The biggest feature of the Blackberry that has T&T consumers sold is BBM- unlimited , IM , pics and voicenotes at a low cost. The only way people will give up BBM is for there to be an app that allows them to migrate all their contacts to the new device. There are rumours of RIM writing a dumbed down version of BBM for andriod and iOS. If that materializes then I could see some users possibly switching. If not this is a Blackberry country. It would take a significant advertising and promotional campaign for any of those other guys to make a dent in the market.I think the addition of T&T to the App Store has to with Bmobile becoming a licensed provider for the Iphone.

[elan]

What the IPad good for to the average user?

[Jah Gol]

The browser is excellent and the apps are very good. I'm not an Apple fanboy but this one product I really like. The tablet market is basically there own (73 % market share). The only thing I see coming close to them is the Toshiba Thrive that was recently released.

[Bakes]

RIM has a significant advantage in local market. The have the benefit of incumbecy as being the first major smartphonre in T&T. Market share stats aren't available but if I say they have 90 % of the smartphone market I'm probably underestimating it. The cost of switching to the iphone is probitive and the android phones don't have the same level of brand recognition here. The biggest feature of the Blackberry that has T&T consumers sold is BBM- unlimited , IM , pics and voicenotes at a low cost. The only way people will give up BBM is for there to be an app that allows them to migrate all their contacts to the new device. There are rumours of RIM writing a dumbed down version of BBM for andriod and iOS. If that materializes then I could see some users possibly switching. If not this is a Blackberry country. It would take a significant advertising and promotional campaign for any of those other guys to make a dent in the market.I think the addition of T&T to the App Store has to with Bmobile becoming a licensed provider for the Iphone.

Never had a Blackberry and likely never will so I don't know how great a feature BBM is... butthere are many third party apps such as What's App which let you "text" for free.

[Jah Gol]

RIM has a significant advantage in local market. The have the benefit of incumbecy as being the first major smartphonre in T&T. Market share stats aren't available but if I say they have 90 % of the smartphone market I'm probably underestimating it. The cost of switching to the iphone is probitive and the android phones don't have the same level of brand recognition here. The biggest feature of the Blackberry that has T&T consumers sold is BBM- unlimited , IM , pics and voicenotes at a low cost. The only way people will give up BBM is for there to be an app that allows them to migrate all their contacts to the new device. There are rumours of RIM writing a dumbed down version of BBM for andriod and iOS. If that materializes then I could see some users possibly switching. If not this is a Blackberry country. It would take a significant advertising and promotional campaign for any of those other guys to make a dent in the market.I think the addition of T&T to the App Store has to with Bmobile becoming a licensed provider for the Iphone.

Never had a Blackberry and likely never will so I don't know how great a feature BBM is... butthere are many third party apps such as What's App which let you "text" for free.

True but people here like the bbm and they trasure their contact lists. For people to switch their whole contact list would have to download the alternative IM client .

[elan]

The browser is excellent and the apps are very good. I'm not an Apple fanboy but this one product I really like. The tablet market is basically there own (73 % market share). The only thing I see coming close to them is the Toshiba Thrive that was recently released.

Man I have the Samsung tab, the thing nice. Good size, full internet(plays videos and everything right in the page).

[Bakes]

True but people here like the bbm and they trasure their contact lists. For people to switch their whole contact list would have to download the alternative IM client .

yuh mean de same contacts list they always losing because ah BB?   


Dai'z arrite... allyuh, government and to a shrinking degree private businesses here in the US could keep BB afloat.  Consumers done see that Android is the wave of the future given its ubiquity and flexibility across different carriers/platforms... say nothing of affordable pricing both in terms of pricing of service plans and pricing of devices (both due to competition).  Need I even mentioned that losing contacts list is a thing of the past... so 2000s lol.  Automatic syncing (two way) with your google contacts. 

iPhone is boss, I have a Touch as I always say and love the functionality... could only imagine it with calling features.  But I ent love it enough to shell out that kinda money for a device and inferior service reliability.  Blackberry even wuss... no offense TnT.

[Jah Gol]

True but people here like the bbm and they trasure their contact lists. For people to switch their whole contact list would have to download the alternative IM client .

yuh mean de same contacts list they always losing because ah BB?   


Dai'z arrite... allyuh, government and to a shrinking degree private businesses here in the US could keep BB afloat.  Consumers done see that Android is the wave of the future given its ubiquity and flexibility across different carriers/platforms... say nothing of affordable pricing both in terms of pricing of service plans and pricing of devices (both due to competition).  Need I even mentioned that losing contacts list is a thing of the past... so 2000s lol.  Automatic syncing (two way) with your google contacts. 

iPhone is boss, I have a Touch as I always say and love the functionality... could only imagine it with calling features.  But I ent love it enough to shell out that kinda money for a device and inferior service reliability.  Blackberry even wuss... no offense TnT.

Interesting that you point that out. We actually going against the international trend as far as the smartphones go. RIM ketching they ass these days and we still going crazy over BB.

[Jah Gol]

The browser is excellent and the apps are very good. I'm not an Apple fanboy but this one product I really like. The tablet market is basically there own (73 % market share). The only thing I see coming close to them is the Toshiba Thrive that was recently released.

Man I have the Samsung tab, the thing nice. Good size, full internet(plays videos and everything right in the page).

I want to play with that the Thrive and compare it with what I experience with the Ipad.

[Bakes]

Interesting that you point that out. We actually going against the international trend as far as the smartphones go. RIM ketching they ass these days and we still going crazy over BB.

Dai'z my whole point... here is only Gov't and private business here still beholden to the BB because of its supposedly (I wouldn't know) superior security over the iPhone.... harder to hack into networks via BB than iPhones from the little I understand.  If not fuh dat BB would no longer have any visible footprint on the smartphone spectrum here in the US.  Pretty remarkable considering that 5 yrs ago they were comfortable, if not dominant and "android" was something from Star Wars.

[JDB]

What the IPad good for to the average user?

I got the iPad a while ago as a replacement for the laptop I returned to my last company. If you already have a PC the iPas will do most of your mobile coputing better than a laptop.

For one thing it is truly portable you hold it like a book and store it anywhere as opposed to a “bulky” laptop. It also doesn’t have to boot up. It turns on and off in a second, no sleep or standby mode, just on an off. You might have to charge it every 3 or 4 days.

Things you can use if for:

The web browsing experience is excellent, pages load as fast as your internet can provide. Apps help here a lot. There are several that make web browsing like reading a magazine or a book and index all your interests.

You can stream all your movies from your PC or load them on a VLC player or stream them from your iTunes (the most inconvenient method). There are also apps for Netflix and Crackle where you can watch their online catalogues.

It can function as a eReader as well with a full catalogue on iBooks but also Kindle and B&N apps to read their catalogues. It is also great for reading comics. Mrrvel and DC have apps with free books and books for sale but you can also read comic book scans in a PDF reader.

And then if you have kids there are tonnes of educational apps, interactive books, bedtime stories etc.

Also they have Facetime where you can instantly chat to any other iPad or iPhone 4 user who has a wi fi connection for free. I have never done Skype because it was too much of a hassle to register, get a mike, get and install a camera. With Facetime you are up an running without any of those hassles.

There are also apps that have all the typical productivity software. You see it a lot more in business as sales reps find it is the best way to present their wares, check inventories and even place orders while on a sales call.

I think it comes down to if it suits your lifestyle. If you currently spend hours at a time in front your computer then the iPad will not do the stuff you need, but if you are a quick user for like an hour or two in short spurts doing social networking, web-browsing, watching video, reading magazines, books and comics it beats a lap-top hands down.

[kicker]

I have an iphone, which I got only because I wanted to be one of the cool kids, and I have BB through work which I really only use for work email and BBM (to stay in touch with peeps in Trini)... If the iphone could make an initial dent in T&T and catch on, it will destroy the blackberry... Other than AT&T which is a piece of sh*t and a non-factor in Trini, it's hands down a superior device....

[Jah Gol]

I have an iphone, which I got only because I wanted to be one of the cool kids, and I have BB through work which I really only use for work email and BBM (to stay in touch with peeps in Trini)... If the iphone could make an initial dent in T&T and catch on, it will destroy the blackberry... Other than AT&T which is a piece of sh*t and a non-factor in Trini, it's hands down a superior device....

agreed

[Dutty]

In We actually going against the international trend as far as the smartphones go. RIM ketching they ass these days and we still going crazy over BB.

Yup, RIM just lay off another 1000 ppl this week gone....dem 'create' dat market and getting absolutely crushed by the competition

what a turn of fortunes in that place...it had a time even gettin a janitor wukk in dey was desirable

[lefty]

I don't doubt apple's technology competence but I have a problem with there "right to use" policies as it regards the hardware and deliberate restrictions put on your ability to do with your device as you see fit........once yuh within yuh legal rights ofcourse and there is where me an dem cyah see eye to eye....the original Ipad design had no input ports to begin with, I have no idea about dis one...........might check out samsung version though, but that far in d future, still need ah laptop for school and private software dev and ah could only get one so

[dinho]

iPhone is head and above a superior device for functionality but how much of that functionality the average Trinbagonian will put to use is still a question mark.

I have a blackberry and bbm is really the only thing i keep it for especially to communicate internationally.

How many people who currently make up the local Blackberry market really going through the trouble to sit down in front their computer to surf the iTunes store for apps to use for their phone? Also, who here willing to pay for those apps? And lastly, how much content the app store have specific to T&T could really make it a must have device? we doh even have proper GPS down here.

I could see the local techies jumping on board and then the men who wanna coast it and bling out but realistically it go take a while and some doing for Blackberry to lose core market share here.

Trinis like freeness and they like ole talk, and that is what BBM giving yuh.. Free ole talk (local and international) and ease of usage and also some kinda status to boot. Like my boy tell me, you cyah be seriously trying to pips no gyul here right now with yuh lil digicel me2... if yuh not on blackberry right now yuh not in the game.

Also i notice a lil bb culture develop here. People on point and regular with status updates and is a lil information network just off of that. I knew about the Flugtag Traffic, I knew Ghost Hunters was in Lopinot and I know about impending weather, traffic accidents, stolen vehicles and police roadblocks just off of people updating their statuses. Also nuff ppl participating in 5-10 separate bbm chat groups.

As for Whatsapp, my issue with that is why should I install something on my phone to compensate for your lack of a blackberry? Forget that, I hadda real like chatting to maintain two separate IM platforms on my phone. Get yourself a bb.

[Jah Gol]

In We actually going against the international trend as far as the smartphones go. RIM ketching they ass these days and we still going crazy over BB.

Yup, RIM just lay off another 1000 ppl this week gone....dem 'create' dat market and getting absolutely crushed by the competition

what a turn of fortunes in that place...it had a time even gettin a janitor wukk in dey was desirable

2000 actuallly

[JDB]

In We actually going against the international trend as far as the smartphones go. RIM ketching they ass these days and we still going crazy over BB.

Yup, RIM just lay off another 1000 ppl this week gone....dem 'create' dat market and getting absolutely crushed by the competition

what a turn of fortunes in that place...it had a time even gettin a janitor wukk in dey was desirable

2000 actuallly

And that was their 2nd or 3rd set of layoffs in the past 2 years. I read an article on their decline and it was all about management not being hip to what features drive customers to smartphones. Ironically one of those features - social networking - is what is giving them the lock on the TnT market. RIM is run by finance people, Google by techies and Apple by a futurist.

Anytime I ask people why they wouldn't leave BB for newer smartphones they say 2 things BBM and the physical keyboard.

But really when you look at these things is mostly inertia stopping people from changing. The phones all become integrated into how you manage your life and there is a high barrier to overcome to try something else. Omar mention the work involved in getting apps but for iPhone users the work yuh have to go through to load music, video and the inferior browsing experience with a Droid phone or BB is even more headache...until yuh actually have to use one then yuh just make do.

I must say though unless they change a lot recently the internet experience on a BB is torturous the one time I had to use one.     

[Jah Gol]

Where there is no vision, the people perish.

[lefty]

I'm a fan of physical keyboards but never got bitten by d BB bug, actually had an eye on the Xperia U20a pro mini until SE decided that they were not going to offer 2.2/3   upgrades for them, not big on d social scene neither, FB does have to beg mih to come an visit mih profile, so BBM doh even bother me on dat level, but as a man lookin to wet mih foot in application development android jus is ah better fit given the relative freedom allow on d platform.

[Blue]

Apple are releasing iMessage for the iPhone imminently......Blackberry is well and truly history once that happens