RIM could be eyeing September launch for 'Storm 2'
Published: 8 April, 2009
READ MORE: RIM
RIM's Storm 3G smartphone took considerable credit for the BlackBerry maker's unexpectedly buoyant quarterly results, and the firm is keeping up the momentum by starting work already on 'Storm 2', according to many sources, and could appear as early as September.
The most important addition to the phone - which was codeveloped with Vodafone and is carried by that cellco and by Verizon Wireless - is expected to be Wi-Fi, a surprising and unpopular omission from the current model. Also expected is a brand new touchscreen.
Verizon Wireless justifies the lack of Wi-Fi by arguing, reasonably enough, that its fast EV-DO Rev A network is enough for any user, but this does cut customers off from the option of using sometimes cheaper WLan connections, or apps not supported on the operator's network. And RIM's other major 3G phone, the Bold, does support Wi-Fi.
Other criticisms of the Storm have focused on the screen and some software glitches, which caused high reported return levels in the phone's early days, in the US market at least. In particular, customers moaned about 'dead spots' in the corners of the screen, that do not register clicks effectively. The new screen design should correct this problem, according to blogs such as BoyGeniusReport, which also expects the SurePress typing experience to be replaced with an upgraded system called TruePress.
According to internal sources, Verizon wants to release the Storm 2 in September, which would be early for the holiday buying season, but could hope to pull some of the sting of the Sprint Palm Pre, T-Mobile 'G2' and AT&T new iPhone launches, all expected between late June and August.
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