Does RIM Have a BlackBerry ''Superphone'' in the Works?

Make way for the Superphone.

Despite the upcoming BlackBerry OS 7-based devices, rumors have begun to swirl that RIM is already redirecting resources from its previously-planned 10-inch PlayBook tablet to a new project: a QNX-based "Superphone".

According to N4BB, which broke the story, this device will sport a 4.3-inch Touchscreen with a so-called "900+" resolution. This is large enough that some people would classify it as a tabletphone.

Details about the processor powering of RIM's upcoming handset are still a bit murky, as a 1.2 GHz single-core chip has been discussed, as has the potential for a TI OMAP dual-core processor (currently found in the PlayBook), with the latter being a possibility contingent upon battery life.

QNX Not BlackBerry OS 7
The QNX microkernel that may be found on the Superphone is well-known for its multitasking ability and is part of the BlackBerry Tablet OS currently found on the PlayBook. Should these rumors about the Superphone turn out to be true, it would mark the first RIM phone to run a QNX-based OS.

According to statements the company made recently, RIM was not planning on making the switch to a QNX OS on its BlackBerry smartphones until sometime in 2012, with BlackBerry OS 7 intended to be a filler (and non-QNX) until RIM could merge the smartphone and tablet operating systems. If the unconfirmed report of the Superphone is correct, then this plan has changed.

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