BlackBerry owned the market. Apple wasn’t first. So why did the king of smartphones lose everything almost overnight? The answer isn’t what you think.
Remember when BlackBerry phones were everywhere? Every business person had one. They were the kings of mobile email and messaging. But then Apple came along with the iPhone and changed everything.
This is a perfect example of why being first to market isn't always the winning strategy.
BlackBerry (originally called Research In Motion) launched their first device in 1999. They basically invented the smartphone as we know it. They had:
By 2007, BlackBerry was on top of the world. They had millions of users and seemed unstoppable.
Here's the crazy part - Apple wasn't first with smartphones OR touchscreen phones!
IBM released the Simon Personal Communicator in 1994 with a touchscreen. Palm had the Treo. Microsoft had Windows Mobile devices. LG Prada even launched a touchscreen phone months before the iPhone.
But Apple still won. How?
While everyone else was first, Apple was better. They didn't just make another touchscreen phone - they reimagined the whole experience:
Being first to market sounds great, but it comes with some tough problems:
You Have to Educate EveryoneBlackBerry had to teach people why they needed email on their phone. IBM had to explain what a touchscreen was. That's expensive and time-consuming. Apple came later when people already understood these concepts.
You Make All the Mistakes FirstEarly products are rarely perfect. First movers figure out what works through trial and error while later companies learn from those mistakes.
You Get ComfortableSuccess can make you lazy. BlackBerry kept making keyboard phones because they worked. Apple saw what people really wanted and built that instead.
MySpace vs. FacebookMySpace was the first big social network. But Facebook came along with a cleaner design and better features. They focused on real connections instead of flashy, messy profiles.
Friendster vs. FacebookActually, Friendster was even before MySpace! They invented social networking but couldn't handle the technical growth. Facebook learned from their mistakes.
Yahoo vs. GoogleYahoo was the first major search engine and web portal. Google arrived later but made search faster and more accurate. Sometimes simple wins over complicated.
Altavista vs. GoogleBefore Yahoo, Altavista was the search king. Google wasn't even close to first, but they made search actually work well.
If you're building something new, don't worry about being first. Focus on being better:
The best MVP isn't the first one - it's the one that solves the real problem in the best way.
BlackBerry created the smartphone market. IBM created touchscreen phones. Palm, Microsoft, and LG all had touchscreen smartphones before Apple. But Apple won because they built what people really wanted and made it work incredibly well.
Being second (or third, or tenth) can actually be a huge advantage if you learn from everyone who came before you. You get to skip their mistakes and build something better.
Don't rush to be first. Focus on being the solution people actually love using.
Ready to build something that truly stands out from the competition? Our team helps founders create products that users actually want. Get in touch with us for all your software development and fractional CTO needs at https://keiboarder.com/contact.
