Release of All BlackBerry OS 7 Devices Could Be Delayed

According to information leaking out of Research In Motion (RIM), none of this company's next-generation BlackBerry smartphones are going to be on the market for many months. The reason can be summed up in one word: PlayBook.

The BlackBerry World tradeshow was held last week, and RIM had only one upcoming model to announce: the BlackBerry Bold 9900. This will be the first with BlackBerry OS 7 on it, the next generation of this company's operating system. At the unveiling, RIM says this device will be on the market this summer. According to unconfirmed reports, at one point this launch had been scheduled for June but August is now more likely. 

In addition, details on several other BlackBerry models had leaked out before last week's tradeshow, but none of these were announced. And the wait for these will apparently be a lengthy one, as they are supposedly not going to be officially announced until October.

If the report that all the BlackBerry OS 7-based models have been delayed until later Summer and Fall is correct, it will mean that RIM will go nearly a year without introducing a new smartphone. This can't be good for a company whose rivals are snapping at its heels.

All PlayBook, All the Time
RIM introduced its first tablet last month, the BlackBerry PlayBook. Initial sales of this device are said to be good, but this device could end up being trouble for the company. According to an unconfirmed report, the delay on BlackBerry OS 7 and the smartphones running it can be laid squarely at this tablet's door -- so much attention was given to getting this product released that everything else was allowed to launguish.

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