How will Verizon differentiate the Thunderbolt and the Bionic to customers?

[Astrodroid]

One is motorola and the other is htc

That's deep, Shaddix. Very deep. I don't think this means a whole lot to the average customer.

choices are good, inform yourself, don't let verizon differentiate them and decide for you.

This isn't about me. I've studied the specs and other factors in detail and already know I'm getting the TB unless early adopters say the battery is unacceptable or there are other unknown problems. I don't need Verizon to differentiate for me. But they're going to do it for the masses because that's what they always do. This question is just curiosity about how a carrier markets two very similar competing phones. The LG and the Samsung 4Gs will be out before too long as well and will add to my curiosity since they will be fairly similar as well. We know less about those, so maybe each is hiding some kind of unique advantage(s) or differentiator(s) (some stupid pre-loaded movie, NFC, some custom app, etc.) that will give people a reason, even a flimsy or superficial one, to buy them. Or maybe not. And that puts me back to square 1 on this question.

When you get into the store its up to the Sales Reps to know the ins and outs of the phones to help the consumer decide whats better for them.

Yeah, that was the point of the question. Once both phones are out and the sales rep has to recommend one or the other to a customer based on their needs, what will they say? The more I think about it, this is really a question about the Thunderbolt. As others have noted here, the Bionic's selling point will be that it's the beast, spec-wise. So it would seem that unless something like baked-in Skype and a 1.3mp FFC and a kickstand somehow define a particular type of user segment, then it seems that the definition of the Thunderbolt is the non-beast. It's the 4G smartphone for those who don't need the beastly features. But in that case, I would expect to pay less for it, like buying the DX Honda Accord instead of the EX. I realize we know nothing of Bionic pricing yet and even TB pricing is still somewhat conflicted. But I guess I had assumed all of the new 4G smartphones would be roughly on par and probably sell for about the same. I wonder if the Bionic will be more. Absent a compelling reason (for the average non-phone-nerd user) to buy the TB over the Bionic, maybe the TB should cost less.

The Tbolt on the other hand is going to be I think marketed more towards the average consumer along with being Verizon's first LTE device.

At first, yes. But once they're both out, the fact that it was the first one is no longer a selling point. Picture them on the shelf side by side and the confused person asks the salesperson for help deciding. If they're the same price, and I'm the salesperson, I recommend the Bionic unless I find out that they like to tinker and flash custom ROMs or have some special need for better FFC resolution for video calls.

They'll do what they do every few months when the next new device hits...stop all advertising and talk of the TB, stop promoting it to customers off the street, pretend like it doesn't exit and run a whole new campaign on how advanced and superior the duel processor of the Bionic is.

I bet you're right. But by this logic, the Samsung and the LG won't get much of a push when they come out because they're not better than the Bionic as far as we can tell. Even later to the game than the TB, yet (at least based on the partial info we have to date) with similar or somewhat less impressive specs. Seems kind of crowded unless there are price differences.

I do believe the Thunderbolt is the only VZW phone that can do simultaneous Voice and data over 3g/4g and its been said it might be the only device to be able to do so for a while.

Hey we may have a winner here. If it's the only one that can do it for a while, that's something to mention to a customer, even if it's not something many people will use (I don't know that, just saying it's a possibility). It's kind of like the Galaxy S phones that came with Avatar loaded. Who gives a crap?! That's not a good reason to buy a phone, but they can list it as one of the bells and whistles to try to lure people anyway.


BTW everyone, this isn't a concern or a problem or a challenge, just something I'm curious about. I'll have my answer by summer, but as I wait for the TB these are the things I think about to pass the time.

 

[Johnly]

That is why I posted that. I try to consider those less experienced with android, and help them to avoid some of the common mistakes I see people do. Absolutely nothing wrong with deciding for yourself, and you are doing that...good. More people should be patient and research before investing....to often people get caught in the hype "first 4G phone" and end up burned when a company took 2 or 4 more months making 4G better and then have buyers remorse. If you are informed, then the right decision is made. This response is more for unseasoned users, and not so much you as you have done the leg work to bid the device that suits YOU.

This isn't about me. I've studied the specs and other factors in detail and already know I'm getting the TB unless early adopters say the battery is unacceptable or there are other unknown problems. I don't need Verizon to differentiate for me. But they're going to do it for the masses because that's what they always do. This question is just curiosity about how a carrier markets two very similar competing phones. The LG and the Samsung 4Gs will be out before too long as well and will add to my curiosity since they will be fairly similar as well. We know less about those, so maybe each is hiding some kind of unique advantage(s) or differentiator(s) (some stupid pre-loaded movie, NFC, some custom app, etc.) that will give people a reason, even a flimsy or superficial one, to buy them. Or maybe not. And that puts me back to square 1 on this question.