Devoted to online marketing, viral marketing, and web marketing

For about a week, we've known about Verizon (VZ) releasing a new array of mobile phone to the market - the Juke, Pearl, Venus and Voyager.

I want to concentrate on the Voyager, which is being touted by the company as an Apple iPhone (AAPL) killer. Verizon Wireless Chief Marketing Officer Mike Lanman said in an interview, "We think it'll be the best phone ... this year. It will kill the iPhone."

What the assertion is based upon is the Voyager will be offered on a higher Internet access speed and will also include a keyboard - two things not part of the iPhone at this time.

The company is basing their iPhone killer on utilitarian aspects, while neglecting the cachet and status that go with owning an iPhone. It's similar to owning a Harley Davidson motorcycle versus a competitor. It'll take more than adding a couple features to get consumers to change.

I think it was a mistake to market the Voyager as an iPhone killer. It immediately draws all the attention away from the other offerings being brought to the market by Verizon, and also says they've developed a phone in response to the iPhone, rather than creating something unique themselves. In other words, they're telling the market the iPhone is the leader in this style.

The other problem is now that they've said it's an iPhone killer, they're going to look defeated, even if it does fairly well among their existing customers and grab a few current iPhone users.

While it's good to raise the bar high, it still has to be based in reality and not wishful thinking.

I've seen a ton of research on mobile phones, and overall users still don't perceive them as their primary source of Internet activity, so including a keyboard or higher speed Internet access isn't the thing that will make people want to get a mobile phone or change to another product.

When you think of it, people outside the home or work would only use the Internet when they're using public transportation or traveling with someone else with their phones. If we're in the home or at work, who's going to bypass their computers to watch video or listen to music on their phone?

In spite of all the hype, the mobile phone is still primarily a communication device that gives people status. Adding trinkets and features isn't going to change that at this time.

The Voyager could be a good alternative for existing customers of Verizon, and may do good in that area, but I don't see people coming in droves to buy it because it includes a keyboard and has faster Internet access.

With throwing out the iPhone killer line, the Voyageur will probably end up looking like a failure, even if it has some success. I think it should have been marketed differently.

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