Indeed, the first BlackBerry 7 handsets are set to launch later this August, with a total of five new devices sporting the OS marking a renewed effort by RIM to halt its share slip in major markets.
In all, the five handsets include two previously announced phones the Bold 9900 and Bold 9930 and four new devices, including the Torch 9810 (an update to the current Torch 9800 slider), and the touchscreen only 3.7-inch Torch 9850 and 9860.
Larging it up
"This is the largest global launch of BlackBerry smartphones in our history," said president and co-CEO Mike Lazaridis, revealing 225 carriers and distribution partners are signed up for day one.
"The BlackBerry solution offers a best-in-class mobile communications experience that customers love and we think they will be thrilled by the faster performance, enhanced browsing and richer multimedia delivered by these powerful new BlackBerry Bold and BlackBerry Torch smartphones."
BlackBerry 7's signature, RIM claims, will be better internet browsing, superior visuals thanks to the firm's Liquid Graphics technology, and a refined suite of social and communication tools.
New handsets accelerated
The platform's debut comes after RIM's Q1 FY12 revenues came in below expectations, hitting $4.6 billion across the quarter.
That actually represented a 16 percent rise year on year, but co-CEO Jim Balsillie admitted fiscal 2012 had "gotten off to a challenging start".
In response, RIM claimed it would "see strong profit growth in the latter part of fiscal 2012" after promising to accelerate the introduction of new product lines, though the company was also forced to lay off 2,000 members of staff as part of a cost optimisation program just one month later.
The firm is also in the process of responding to shareholder pressure for an evaluation of the roles of co-CEOs Lazaridis and Balsillie.
[source: RIM]
