Nokia Corporation (NYSE:NOK) (BIT:NOK1V) (HEL:NOK1V) and Blackberry / Research In Motion Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) (TSE:BB) have quite a bit in common with each other besides their obvious differences. Both continue to be beaten like a red-headed step child by both Apple and makers of Android-based smartphones. Additionally, both companies are seeing its more affordable lower-end phones losing market share as well.
Blackberry / Research In Motion Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) (TSE:BB) has yet to make a tremendous impact with their “game-changing” operating system BB10. But, it’s important for investors and BlackBerry alike to remember that BlackBerry still enjoys quite a bit of success in Latin America, Asia and Africa. Essentially, emerging markets are a key area for BlackBerry to compete if it wants to, well, exist as a company.
BlackBerry 9720 Images
A website entitled THAI BLACKBERRY CLUB has a just released a number of photos that claim to be an early look at the BlackBerry 9720. While the Z10, BlackBerry’s first all touchscreen phone to offer Blackberry 10 OS, and the Q10, which also runs BB10 OS and includes a QWERTY keyboard as well as a touchscreen make sense in their naming the 9720, is well, just a number.
Outfitted with BlackBerry OS 7.1, the 9720 appears that it will be a cheap to make, cheap to offer phone geared at continuing BlackBerry’s success in emerging markets. Read, people who can’t afford an iPhone or Samsung Galaxy model phone but require connectivity and a “smartish” phone.
A User Agent Profile document discovered by tech blog site Ubergizmo points to a 480×360 pixel screen and 3G support.
In late June, just a couple of weeks ago, BlackBerry delivered its first quarter numbers, and at the risk of gross understatement, it failed to impress its stockholders and analysts as it fell short in nearly every financial metric.
The Company Will Remain In Red For A While
Blackberry / Research In Motion Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) (TSE:BB) also warned it will post another loss in the current quarter and said it will continue to invest in products and services over the next three quarters, suggesting that the company will remain in the red for another year.
“It hasn’t been that easy, and there’s still a lot of work to do, but man, have we reached solid ground with this company,” said CEO Thorsten Heins during his keynote address at BlackBerry Live in May.
While this may have been met by approval and applause from the audience, it remains to be seen what solid ground (apparently made of quicksand) he was referring.
The 9720 is a key product for Blackberry / Research In Motion Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) (TSE:BB) and it will be interesting to find out if that is actually the 9720 that BLACKBERRY FRIENDS CLUB claims it is.
