[UPDATE: A Vodafone NZ spokesman said the carrier is accessing the Torch, but has not timeline on local release at this point. A 900MHz/2100MHz version of the Torch will be available for New Zealand, the spokesman said.]RIM has today unveiled the Torch, t
[UPDATE: A Vodafone NZ spokesman said the carrier is accessing the Torch, but has not timeline on local release at this point. A 900MHz/2100MHz version of the Torch will be available for New Zealand, the spokesman said.]
RIM has today unveiled the Torch, the first BlackBerry with a slide-down keyboard (making it a "slider" in phone industry parlance).
The hidden keyboard allows for a roomy 3.2-inch touchscreen.
The Torch was unveiled to US media today, and pcworld.com reckoned RIM had regained its edge, and can now compete head to head with iPhone and the best Android handsets.
It's due in the US on August 12. But don't hold your breath for local release.
As iPhone and Android mania has swept through all three mobile carriers, RIM's once iconic smartphone seems to have become something of an after-thought.
Vodafone has passed on two major BlackBerry models in recent times - the all-touchscreen Storm II and the clamshell Pearl Flip - simply because it thought its smartphone line up was full enough.
Telecom continues to carry a single BlackBerry.
And 2degrees launched its 3G network yesterday without the necessary software support to run a BlackBerry (despite one of its key investors, based in Auckland, being a confirmed BlackBerry user.)
NBR has queries in with Vodafone and Telecom, and we'll let you know.
We live in hope.
But, long suffering BlackBerry fans, prepare yourself for the worst.
The Torch supports the 2100MHz 3G band (used by 2degrees, Telecom and Vodafone in cities) plus the 850MHz frequency used by Telecom nationwide. [UPDATE: A Vodafone NZ spokesman said a 900MHz/2100MHz version of the Torch will also appear. However, there is no timeline for local release.]
BlackBerry losing marketshare
In its report on the Torch today, The New York Times quotes a Canalys report that says in the second quarter of the year, sales of phones based on Google's Android software were up nearly 900% from a year ago, claiming 34% of the market in the United States.
Canalys put BlackBerry maker RIM on 32%, and Apple on 21.7%.
A year ago, RIM.’s share of the US market was 45%.
A second study, released Monday by Nielsen, found similar trends, with a declining BlackBerry nabbing 33% of new sign-ups over the past six months; Android-based phones 27% and iPhone 23%.
MORE
Official BlackBerry Torch site
pcworld.com RIM regains edge with BlackBerry Torch
Technologizer: Liveblog from the BlackBerry Torch launch in New York
