The BlackBerry Curve 9320
BlackBerry fans are eagerly awaiting the launch of two much-anticipated BlackBerry 10 devices on 30 January, and reports now claim the struggling smartphone brand will have a lot more to offer in 2013.
The BlackBerry 10 operating system is said to be a completely revised take for Research in Motion (RIM), featuring an all-new user interface and addressing some of the brand’s present shortcomings in hardware, web browser performance, and apps. The first two BlackBerry 10 devices will be introduced later this month: one a full touchscreen L-series device and the other a N-series handset with a full QWERTY keypad.
But that’s not all. In an interview at CES with FierceWireless, RIM’s chief marketing officer Frank Boulben has said that at least six new BlackBerry 10 devices are on the way; a variety of handsets at a range of price points, hitting the high-end, middle-range and low-cost markets.
Lifeline
RIM has seen through a tough 2012, reporting Q1 losses and 5,000 job cuts, and losing a costly patent case. However, an aggressive restructuring plan saw things improve before the end of the year, and it is hoped BlackBerry 10 will be a lifeline for the company in 2013.
RIM currently claims about 80m users worldwide, and Boulben said 150 carriers are testing the new devices globally. He believes BlackBerry can be “the third platform”, behind Android and iOS and ahead of Windows Phone.
BlackBerry 10 is expected to come with 70,000 apps at launch, including 90pc of the top 600 apps from major markets, and Boulben assured there is strong support from the developer community. It is also said to include functionality that will allow users to glance at another app without closing the one they’re currently using, and perhaps even Instagram-style image editing.
