There is no denying the fact that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) and BlackBerry Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) spend countless hours and millions upon millions of dollars perfecting their smartphone offerings.
But did you know that these companies, among others, spend just as much time keeping watch over the smartphone market? They want to know what is happening, why it is happening, and what they can do to take advantage of any changes.
The likes of Tim Cook, Jony Ive, and Thorsten Heins never rest. These guys have one goal in mind: dominating the smartphone market.
Right now, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) is in better position than BlackBerry Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY). While Cupertino has been able to solidify its spot as a frontrunner in the smartphone space, BlackBerry is lagging behind with hopes of recapturing its former glory.
Good news for Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)?
According to a recent study by NPD, “more than 60 percent of smartphone consumers are aware of their trade-in options for a new device.” Of these people, roughly 55 percent have a plan to take advantage of this option the next time they decide to upgrade to a new device.
This growing awareness is likely to work in the favor of Apple, since many of its biggest fans will do whatever it takes to get their hands on the latest and great device. In other words, when Cupertino announces the availability of a new product these consumers will be looking for a way to trade-in as a means of trading up.
This could also mean good things for BlackBerry Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY), as long as the company is able to continue its momentum and release devices that the public is going to be excited about.
Eddie Hold, vice president of Connected Intelligence for NPD, added that “consumers are embracing these smartphone trade-in options.” He also noted that consumers are open t o many options, including bypassing their carrier and shopping at a big box store if it allows them to get a better deal.
It will be interesting to see how this impacts both Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) and BlackBerry Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) moving forward.
Even more so, is it possible that one of these companies, or another, will find a way to better work its devices into the current “trade-in” system?
BlackBerry may be playing catch up, but Apple is not. This is why so many hedge fund managers – including David Einhorn, Christopher Hansen, Jeffrey Edwards, and Mark Diker – continue to invest.
Check out the video below for more information on the Apple iPhone front: