you can't say that your pearl is better... the iphone users pay that $50 premium for the programs, the apps, music stuff, the games, the browsing, bigger screen, etc etc...
The Pearl is much better for my needs and I was able to do that because RIM has a much more diverse flexible product offering. I had a 3G reserved for launch by passed on it when ATT/Apple wanted even more for a device that has too many limitations.
RIM's products are better. They come in more form factors and carriers to fit the users exact needs. Their security is better than most other wireless devices as government and business use have been its core market for almost ten years now.
RIM's BIS (consumer/small business) and BES (corporate) emails solutions are best and Apple/the iPhone still lacks any push notification which Apple promised and still can't deliver.
The RIM platform has been completely rock solid (I've been using them at work since 03 in addition to Palm, WM, and OSX smartphone I've also supported) until a few hiccups due to the big growth in consumer popularity the last year or so though I've seen more infrastructure problems with ATT data network than RIM based problems - that's why we stopped using ATT. This is reality in a huge sample of about 100 smartphone users and hundreds of lines of cell service used all across the US and the world with all the major providers, not clueless fanboy end-users who have their single statistically insignificant sample.
You've always have the ability to use third party apps for anything on the BB, end users did not have to push RIM to allow it - its always been that way and no jailbreaking was never needed. This means so you can usually get what you are looking for even if RIM's official applications aren't appealing to you. For example, Opera Mini works just as well as Safari does on the iPhone. Apple took years to get to the point where they'll let third party browsers or auto GPS apps in their app store.
RIM has been around longer and its what companies use to get the job done in the real world, not the latest fad toy. Its a mature polished product. The President pushed for and now uses a smartphone, a blackberry, not a iPhone, to finally bring his office some modern technology.
RIM has always been at the front of technology too. RIM has had a 3G BB over over three years now starting with the 7250 on Verizon's EVDO network in the US.
If I wanted more battery life I've always had the option to swap my battery if I carried a spare or buy an extended battery. On my Pearl if I wanted more memory I just buy a cheap microSD card to suit my needs and I can swap them any time I like. I got an 8GB Pearl for $25 (phone was free, 8GB microSD card was $25). I can upgrade to 16GB if wanted or larger when the format has bigger capacities. RIM gives the users the key important features and flexibility they need, they don't hold them back to make a profit and force an upgrade.
Apple likes to claim they are all that, but they still can't beat Nokia or RIM. Nokia is by far the biggest in smartphone sales: