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Lower-cost BlackBerry is unveiled
Source: Agencies |
May 26, 2013, Sunday
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RESEARCH In Motion has unveiled a lower-cost BlackBerry aimed at consumers in emerging markets, stepping up its efforts to regain market share lost to Apple's iPhone and Android devices powered by Google's software.
The lower-cost gadget, called the Q5, is the company's third smartphone to run the new BlackBerry 10 system. It has a physical keyboard, something that sets RIM's devices apart from Apple's iPhone and most Android phones.
RIM CEO Thorsten Heins said the "slim, sleek" device will be available in red, black, white and pink. He announced the phone to a packed ballroom to open RIM's annual three-day conference in Orlando, Florida.
The device will be available in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia (including the Asia Pacific region), and Latin America beginning in July. The company did not disclose prices for the new phone.
The Q5 differs only slightly from RIM's higher-tier Q10. Both have 2GB of RAM, though the Q5 has only 8GB of flash memory compared to 16 for the Q10. Both have 2-megapixel front-facing cameras, but the Q5's rear-facing camera is only 5 megapixels, compared to the Q10 which has 8 megapixels and also records high-definition video.
Also, the Q5 has a 3.1-inch LCD display, while the Q10 is 3.1 inches and LED.
RIM unveiled new BlackBerrys this year after delays allowed Apple and others to continue their global advance.
RIM's iconic BlackBerry device, introduced in 1999, was the dominant smartphone for on-the-go business people and consumers for nearly a decade. But rivals came out with a new generation of phones that could do more than just email and messaging, starting with the iPhone in 2007 and followed by devices running Google's Android system. Suddenly, the BlackBerry looked ancient.
According to research firm IDC, shipments of BlackBerry phones plummeted from 46 percent of the US market in 2008 to 2 percent in 2012.
Though RIM continues to do well in many overseas markets, the company faced numerous delays modernizing its operating system in an effort to compete with the iPhone and smartphones running Google's Android operating system.
Heins, who became RIM's CEO in January 2012, said the company has made a lot of progress in a short period of time.
The lower-cost gadget, called the Q5, is the company's third smartphone to run the new BlackBerry 10 system. It has a physical keyboard, something that sets RIM's devices apart from Apple's iPhone and most Android phones.
RIM CEO Thorsten Heins said the "slim, sleek" device will be available in red, black, white and pink. He announced the phone to a packed ballroom to open RIM's annual three-day conference in Orlando, Florida.
The device will be available in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia (including the Asia Pacific region), and Latin America beginning in July. The company did not disclose prices for the new phone.
The Q5 differs only slightly from RIM's higher-tier Q10. Both have 2GB of RAM, though the Q5 has only 8GB of flash memory compared to 16 for the Q10. Both have 2-megapixel front-facing cameras, but the Q5's rear-facing camera is only 5 megapixels, compared to the Q10 which has 8 megapixels and also records high-definition video.
Also, the Q5 has a 3.1-inch LCD display, while the Q10 is 3.1 inches and LED.
RIM unveiled new BlackBerrys this year after delays allowed Apple and others to continue their global advance.
RIM's iconic BlackBerry device, introduced in 1999, was the dominant smartphone for on-the-go business people and consumers for nearly a decade. But rivals came out with a new generation of phones that could do more than just email and messaging, starting with the iPhone in 2007 and followed by devices running Google's Android system. Suddenly, the BlackBerry looked ancient.
According to research firm IDC, shipments of BlackBerry phones plummeted from 46 percent of the US market in 2008 to 2 percent in 2012.
Though RIM continues to do well in many overseas markets, the company faced numerous delays modernizing its operating system in an effort to compete with the iPhone and smartphones running Google's Android operating system.
Heins, who became RIM's CEO in January 2012, said the company has made a lot of progress in a short period of time.
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