TORONTO - Research In Motion Ltd. is launching a new high-end
version of the BlackBerry aimed at its core base of business users, but it hopes
the sleek new smartphone will also catch on with the broader retail market.
Shares of RIM jumped, climbing C$8.76, or 6.6 percent, to
C$142.11 on the Toronto Stock Exchange. On Nasdaq, the stock was up $8.84, or
6.7 percent, at $141.61.
The BlackBerry Bold, as the new smartphone is called, is the
first BlackBerry to support high-speed HSDPA cellular networks and comes with
integrated GPS, Wi-Fi and a host of multimedia features.
"It’s really a step up in function in many core aspects of
the system," RIM Co-CEO Jim Balsillie said in an interview.
The smartphone rolls out globally this summer and will cost
between $300 and $400, he said. AT&T will be its lead carrier in the United
States.
Citi Investment Research analyst Jim Suva wrote in a note to clients that the
timing of the launch of the third-generation smartphone was ahead of his
expectations. Third generation, or 3G, essentially refers to advanced and
high-speed wireless services. — Reuters
