RIM prototype BB10 device: A first look
Research In Motion Ltd.'s prototype BlackBerry 10 device, which was unveiled in Orlando on Tuesday, looks a lot like a smaller version of the company's PlayBook tablet
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Research In Motion Ltd.’s prototype BlackBerry 10 device, which was unveiled in Orlando on Tuesday, looks a lot like a smaller version of the company’s PlayBook tablet. It also appears similar to many of the Android touch screen devices currently in the market.
CEO Thorsten Heins seemed confident that RIM will have the device ready sometime in the second half of 2012, while RBC Capital Markets analyst Mark Sue believes carriers may be targeting an October launch.
The BlackBerry 10 user interface offers seamless multi-tasking, while RIM’s new on-screen keyboard looks to be an innovative offering as it includes predictive next word suggestions, as opposed to just word completion, Mr. Sue told clients.
The analyst thinks the device may offer the productivity BlackBerry users are looking for in a touch screen. He also noted that BB10 smart phones will likely include BlackBerry Messenger.
Meanwhile, as RIM tries to play catch-up in the app game (Apple offers 600,000, Android 400,000), it continues to try to address prior shortcomings. Mr. Sue noted that several developers such as Gameloft and Citrix showed off some competitive apps on BB10.
“Many indicated BB10 is easy to develop for, a big improvement from legacy BlackBerry,” the analyst said.
However, he believes beyond core BlackBerry fans, RIM’s smaller app/content ecosystem could constrain BlackBerry’s traction among the broader consumer market.
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