BlackBerry 10 Handsets Only in March 2013

Canadian mobile phone maker Research In Motion is gearing up for the release of its new BlackBerry 10 operating system, as well as of new handsets running under the platform, yet it seems that we might not see them made available for another half a year.

The company has already confirmed plans to launch its new devices in the first quarter of the next year, claiming that the OS wouldn’t have been ready for a late 2012 release, yet it appears that it might have actually delayed the release a bit more than expected. Many have hoped that the handset vendor would be capable of delivering the new phones in early 2013, maybe even January, yet Jefferies analyst Peter Misek suggested in a research note that Forbes has seen that March 2013 is the most likely release timeframe for the BlackBerry 10 devices. “We had hoped for a January launch but now see a March launch as more likely,” the analyst reportedly wrote in said note. “Also, our checks point to a tough November quarter, with replenishment rates decreasing as channel partners are cautious on holding RIM inventory. We think the business uncertainty means parties are unlikely to acquire or license from RIM until BB10 launches.”

RIM’s operating system has been losing a lot of market share lately to rivals such as Android and iOS, and has even started to be challenged by Microsoft’s Windows Phone platform, all pointing to rough times lying ahead for the company. However, Misek suggests that BlackBerry 10 has a great potential of becoming the third mobile operating system in the world, provided that RIM manages to convince smartphone makers to license it for use on their devices. The vendor has said before that it would be willing to have the platform licensed to third parties, and even said that it is ready for that, but no details on a possible deal with phone makers have been provided as of yet.

In the meantime, however, enthusiasts are hoping that RIM will manage to deliver on the promise of highly appealing new smartphones powered by the new OS, and are looking forward for products that will indeed challenge Android and iOS at the high end of the market. Recent leaks suggested that only mid-level BB10 smartphones will be released in the beginning of the next year, but that RIM also has high-end handsets in the pipeline, most probably set to hit shelves soon after the initial launch.

BlackBerry 10 handsets only in March next year
Image credits to CrackBerry

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