About 10 weeks time separates us from the official launch of BlackBerry 10 OS. RIM’s newest platform will be presented on January 30, 2013, along with the first two smartphones that will run it. One of the handsets in question will be a full-touch device, while the other will be a typical ‘Berry, with a portrait QWERTY keyboard under its screen.
Now, anyone who is still loyal to the BlackBerry ecosystem is probably wondering when RIM will make these two smartphones available for purchase. Well, that is already known: during an interview, RIM’s COO Kristian Tear said that both devices will be released across “multiple continents” no later than 30 days after their announcement. The launch will be gradual, meaning that the two handsets will be available in select markets initially, after which more countries will follow suit. Further details on the matter, such as pricing, or the list of countries that will get these two BlackBerry 10 smartphones first, have not been disclosed yet.
The first BlackBerry 10 smartphones are already being tested by carriers, and the platform itself has beencertified for use by the government. Nevertheless, some institutions have already started replacing their ‘Berries with iPhones and Android smartphones. While RIM is confident that BlackBerry 10 will change everything, others predict that the platform will be “dead on arrival”.
