Marketing Handsets in the Superphone Era

post from TheAppleBlog on 21 November 2009 10:00:00 AM. © TheAppleBlog

Apple’s iPhone has changed the game for smartphone manufacturers looking to stand out in an increasingly crowded field. Smartphones were once relegated to buttoned-down business types, but the superphone era has ushered in a host of high-tech, entertainment focused handsets, enabling device makers (ODMs) to market their products as voice-enabled mini-computers supported by countless entertainment, productivity and lifestyle apps. Apple’s impressive marketing savvy continues to boost iPhone sales, but other ODMs — who lack Apple’s brand cachet and deep pockets — must still walk a fine line as they approach consumers directly. To see how other phone makers are approaching the post-iPhone consumer market, read my latest weekly update over at GigaOM Pro (subscription required).