In one of the few bits of Aug. 15 tech news that doesn’t involve the words Google or Motorola, Verizon Wireless is making the BlackBerry Bold 9930 available via its online store, to be followed by an Aug. 25 release in stores.
In a bid to appeal to both consumers and the enterprise, Research In Motion is releasing a host of new devices running the BlackBerry 7 OS. These include not only the BlackBerry Bold 9900/9930, the BlackBerry Torch 9810 and the BlackBerry Torch 9850/9860. The updated operating system offers faster browsing, smoother navigation, voice-activated universal search and preinstalled applications such as the enhanced BlackBerry Messenger 6.
The BlackBerry Bold 9900/9930 offers a 2.8-inch display with 640 x 480 resolution, 5-megapixel camera, integrated GPS and NFC (or near-field communication, which can turn your smartphone into a sort of electronic wallet) and 8GB of onboard memory expandable to 40GB. RIM claims the new Bold is its thinnest smartphone ever, although the overall design conforms to the standard BlackBerry look.
Nor is Verizon the only carrier onboard with the new devices: Sprint will offer the Bold 9930 and Torch 9850 starting Aug. 21.
However, BlackBerry 7 OS isn’t RIM’s endgame when it comes to pushing back against the likes of Google Android and Apple’s iPhone. The Canadian phone-maker, which has seen its market share drop precipitously in the past several quarters due to competitive pressures, will debut a set of QNX-powered superphones sometime in 2012. The QNX operating system currently undergirds the company’s BlackBerry-branded PlayBook tablet.
To read the original eWeek article, click here: Verizon, Sprint, RIM Prep BlackBerry 7 OS Phones for Release
