WES 2009 Rumors: LTE BlackBerry, BlackBerry 9630, 1GHz CPUs
From May 5 to 7 in Orlando Florida, RIM will will be hosting Wireless Enterprise Symposium or WES. While BGR will be there on the floor for the entire convention bringing you the latest BlackBerry news as it happens, we thought we’d give you all a little bit of a taste of what we know/believe is to come.
First off, expect to see the 8900 Curve make an appearance courtesy AT&T. As many people on AT&T who are running unlocked 8900s by now already know, the official AT&T service books have been pushed out which means that AT&T is doing the final prep work for launch. More notable and more exciting will be the official acknowledgment of the BlackBerry 9630 codenamed Niagara.
As you know from our feature review of the device, the BlackBerry 9630 blends the size and styling of the 8900 Curve and Storm with the heavenly keypad from the Bold all the while features a gorgeous 480×360 display, 3.2 megapixel camera, GPS, OS 4.7.1 and last but not least the lovable combination of dual-band 1xRTT/EV-DO from the CDMA side, quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE and the single and lonely 2100MHz band of UMTS/HSDPA from the GSM side. Happy, you boys and girls of red?
As far as a release date goes, we’ve heard Canadian CDMA carrier/s will get it as early as late May, early June and Verizon would be launching around the June/July timeframe. We were told a while back RIM was utterly disappointed with the Bold fiasco (announcing in May and shipping in 2012 on AT&T) but we’re guessing they haven’t learned their lesson yet.
BES 5.0 also looks to be a lock as the “gold code” is now being tested which means that RIM has gotten to the point where its just about ready for release to those whose lives revolve around port 3101. And keeping with the number 5.0, there is some talk that RIM is finally going to be up front about the existence of OS 5.0 despite the fact that we’ve been tinkering with it for longer than the Bold has been around with AT&T.
Now this next two are a bit sketchy, but a long time ago we told you that RIM wasn’t going to be embarrassed again by releasing a device like the Bold running on the outgoing 3G technology at a time when everyone in the World is holding their breath in anticipation of LTE. So with that in mind, we’ve been told that there is a possibility that RIM might take the wraps off of their work with an LTE device, or better yet show one off on stage or behind glass enclosures. We can’t say for sure this is going to happen, but we are comforted by the fact that RIM has indeed already begun trials of its LTE device. As for the second iffy rumor, it’s bound to happen at some point in time — though not necessarily at WES — so we’re just throwing it in here as a bonus. Apparently RIM is going to be releasing a device or two with processors that top off at 1GHz sometime within the next 9-12 months. Again, don’t hold us to this, but the whispers are getting louder and louder.
iWhat?
HOW ABOUT THE PLUTO
HOW ABOUT URANUS?
funny, I-what? twitter this one Boy Genius.
all things considered, canada should not get this 1 first. i mean, 80 million + customers (big red) Versus 25 mill citizens all together? what kind of contest is that? is this a reward for the “land that brought the BB” or are they in real Buisness? come-on!!!!
1GHz? Where’s the OS that can take advantage of all that power?
Late May for canada would be the best, im on bell, and besides telus they are the only other major CDMA carrier. GO NIAGARA
@ David Ko
Pluto is no longer considered a planet.
Hope they annouce the AT&T touchscreen phone!
Bold Fiasco or Storm Fiasco? True, the AT&T Bold was delayed but more because of their own programming faults than due to any incompetence on AT&T’s part. LTE on AT&T is still a ways away, and too “new” for us to really know predict the effectiveness over current 3G.
That said, I love my Bold. It is a great device and its only flaws seem to be the web browser. Tue AT&T’s 3G coverage isn’t stellar, but it has been improving and at a pretty fast rate.
AT&T is also pushing (what I can assume we can label 3.5G) its faster HSPA/UTMS services to 7MB/s. Even when LTE launches on AT&T’s service, coverage would be like 3G was 2 years ago until at least late 2012/early 2013 having it being as widespread as current 3G is now. Having RIM abandon 3G at this point and go directly to LTE without AT&T changing its plans (and De La Vega was VERY adamant about 3.5G focus BEFORE LTE focus) could harm AT&T’s lineup.
Now Verizon is taking a faster approach to LTE because it abandoned any further advancement of its CDMA offerings a while ago. Verizon is also better suited to launch a more widespread LTE trial than AT&T is currently poised to do. This is good for Verizon because a lot of Fortune 50 and 100 companies have been increasingly fed up with AT&T’s coverage, albiet faster and newer technology, the older and slower Verizon still have far superior coverage. If VZW can keep this advantage with its LTE offering, that could SERIOUSLY harm AT&T’s user base. iPhone or no iPhone.
Now that the iCraze is slowly dying down – RIM could be a deciding entity in the mobile line up wars. If they learn from their Storm mistakes and forge a (dare I say it) iPhone-killer on Verizon – the iPhone advantage could fade. Leaving the VZW vs ATT fight about purely coverage and speed.
Is Jibi on sabbatical? His experience and maturity are sorely missed here.
@MadMike
We weren’t referring to U.S. carriers with the LTE announcement specifically… look up. Hint, hint.
Also — Bold announcement = May.
Release on AT&T = November.
The hundreds of thousands of salty BlackBerry customers left waiting in the dust = priceless.
if the niagara is not in my hand by may 19, its fuck then you the to both rim and verizon.
8900 in May on AT&T, seriously?
What happened to Feb? March?
Your cred just took a hit with me, not that it matters, I know, but May? Really?
@Jeff
Go away please.
Thanks!
my words got chopped.
@red014
In case you didn’t know blackberry is a canadian company
We DESERVE first dibs
@M
seriously? hahahahaha
OMG I just almost shat myself! Oh God Rim I’ve been praying that you guys put more memory so I can run more apps at the same time. I usually run my media player and Opera and BB-browser simultaneously. I laugh often as my friends with I phones struggle to run one application. OMG you just restored my faith in RIM! Let’s work on a more stable OS and innovate! I’m so excited for “App World”!
I’m really pulling for Verizon here.
I Have AT&T and the lack of 3G is depressing. I live in Austin Texas and it’s supposed to have “full” 3g coverage and I keep getting knocked down to Edge network, which just can’t handle anything anymore here.
I love the iPhone but the second the 9630 hits which I’m in no rush for I’m jumping ship. Canadians good luck to y’all up there getting these things out first, I wanna see some of them in action!
BG is the announcement of the 9630 more of a rumor or more concrete at this point? Also, what are chances of the 9630 making any appearances at CTIA this week? Thanks.
@BG: Gotcha!
BG,
Now its confirmed that the Niagara will not support ATT’s 3G?
@John Fulbright
Texas Pride, I’m from Houston but have been living in the Dallas/FW area since 06.
AT&T’s 3G network is very fast, but the coverage can be piss poor, but wouldn’t hold my breath on the 9630, I don’t want to give to many details away without giving myself away on an internet forum.
But I will say this, RIM as a ways to go on the software front.
I personal like the CDMA flip over the 9630 at this point, but nether are EVDO/rev. A, so the Storm still has them beat in that regard.
I know you have been hearing about the roamers of a CDMA Iphone coming to Verizon, I have a source who has confirmed it for this year, releasing this summer.
Canada FTW!
Bring it on RIM, Rogers already ownz my ass for life anyways and if ya wanna launch CDMA first, that’s fine too. Bell/Telus can own me as well!
PS: It saddens me that so many people can’t look beyond the scope of their own backyard and realize that Telus has been planning LTE for a while now, you just automatically assume it’s a US carrier.
http://www.telusmobility.com/network/
Blackberry madness! I require a diagram to keep up with all these Blackberry devices/news(s)… which I doubt I will get.. I’ll leave now…