RIM may make a concession to Apple on size and have a larger 10-inch BlackBerry PlayBook on shelves this year, according to tips picked up during BlackBerry World. While few details were available, it would be out by the holidays. BGR speculated that it would be less a sequel to the seven-inch model and more an alternate version.
The design could be a hedge in the event the current PlayBook doesn't sell. RIM has cast the seven-inch screen as ideal for portability and having been inspired by the size and appeal of a Moleskine notebook, but Apple chief Steve Jobs publicly dismissed the size entirely. He noted that the three-inch difference amounted to losing more than half the usable screen area and forced compromises in the interface and what apps could do.
In the meantime, RIM may face a looming crisis as phones running BlackBerry 7 might not ship until well after BlackBerry World. Originally rumored to ship in June or July, the Bold 9900 and 9930 now might not ship until mid-August. Other phones like the BlackBerry Touch and Curve Touch wouldn't be unveiled until DevCon on October 18, according to the tip.
The decision to rush the PlayBook to compete with the iPad, and the subsequent efforts needed to patch in missing features, may have been the primary factors behind the delay. Executives were reportedly unhappy that it took away from BlackBerry 7 and have had to redress the balance to get development back on track.
Delays of that magnitude could prove dangerous for RIM. It would not only see the Bold 9900 ship after numerous Android flagships, like the Evo 3D, but could put it within weeks of the next iPhone's unveiling and have any new phones overshadowed. A similar effect for the original Bold ended up costing RIM as the iPhone 3G shipped first and drowned out publicity for its competitor.
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