"BlackBerry 10 Smartphones Formally Launched; Received Tepid Reactions"

BlackBerry 10 Launching

After months of waiting and several delays, Research In Motion has finally unveiled its new line of smartphones that run on its latest BlackBerry 10 operating system in hopes of regaining its market. The company, which has announced it would be forsaking its name to take the brand of its signature product, seemed to have impressed investors as its share price fell 12 percent after announcing during the New York launch that we will have to wait until March to purchase the new BlackBerry 10 devices.

BlackBerry, the company, was supposed to launch the new BlackBerry 10 smartphones last year, but pushed back the release date twice as it allegedly struggles to perfect its new operating system.

Analysts were dismayed over the announcement that BlackBerry’s new BB10 smartphones will be available in the United States by March 2013, when they had said that any launch after February could be a death wish for the Canada-based company. The investors seem to agree as RIM shares on Nasdaq closed 12 percent lower at US$13.78.

RIM first launched BlackBerry in 1999 as a device for busy executives who want to stay in touch with clients and their offices. The company eventually captured the enterprise market for its secure corporate and government emails. However, its popularity faded with the rise of competition from Apple and Android, with a mere 3.4-percent global market share–down from 20 percent three years ago. The demise of BlackBerry has become somewhat of an embarrassment for its users who still cling to them.

BlackBerry would announce the finer details of its new devices, such as the exact date of availability and pricing, on a later date.

Source: Reuters

Photo credit: Shannon Stapleton/ Reuters