Running BlackBerry 7 OS, the 9810 will have a 1.2GHz processor, 3.2-inch touchscreen display, 8GB of onboard memory (with microSD expansion up to 32GB), and a 5 megapixel camera with 720p HD video capabilities. It’ll ship for $49.99 after rebates and a two-year contract.

RIM noted that in combination with the already-announced Bold 9900, these smartphones will launch on more than 225 carriers around the world. “This is the largest global launch of BlackBerry smartphones in our history,” said RIM Co-CEO Mike Lazaridis in a statement. “The BlackBerry solution offers a best-in-class mobile communications experience that customers love and we think they will be thrilled by the faster performance, enhanced browsing and richer multimedia delivered by these powerful new BlackBerry Bold and BlackBerry Torch smartphones.” The new Torches and the Bold 9900 will begin rolling out later this month. RIM’s full press release follows below.

Research In Motion Introduces New BlackBerry 7 Smartphones

Largest Global Launch of BlackBerry Smartphones Ever With More Than 225 Partners Around the World

Waterloo, ON – Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ: RIMM; TSX: RIM) today announced plans to launch 5 new BlackBerry® smartphones based on the BlackBerry® 7 Operating System (OS).  RIM, in conjunction with carriers and distribution partners around the world, is rolling out two new BlackBerry® Bold™ models and three new BlackBerry® Torch™ models, all running the powerful new BlackBerry® 7 OS.

The launch of this family of handsets will be RIM’s largest global launch ever and more than 225 carriers and distribution partners have already commenced or completed over 500 certification programs for these 5 new handsets.

Featuring RIM’s next generation of hardware and software platforms, these five new BlackBerry 7 based smartphones offer users a variety of designs to choose from and deliver the ultimate in communications, multimedia and productivity.

The new BlackBerry® Bold™ 9900 and 9930 are RIM’s thinnest smartphones ever, each offering a large keyboard and brilliant touch display. The new BlackBerry® Torch™ 9810 smartphone builds on the popularity of the BlackBerry® Torch™ 9800 and combines a large touch display with a convenient slide-out keyboard. The BlackBerry® Torch™ 9850 and 9860 introduce an all-new, all-touch design featuring the largest display on a BlackBerry® smartphone to date.

“This is the largest global launch of BlackBerry smartphones in our history,” said Mike Lazaridis, President and Co-CEO of Research In Motion. “The BlackBerry solution offers a best-in-class mobile communications experience that customers love and we think they will be thrilled by the faster performance, enhanced browsing and richer multimedia delivered by these powerful new BlackBerry Bold and BlackBerry Torch smartphones.”

Next-Generation BlackBerry 7 OS
BlackBerry 7 introduces a next generation BlackBerry browser with a significantly faster, more fluid web browsing experience that is among the best in the industry. Combining the dramatically improved performance of the advanced WebKit browser engine together with the powerful hardware enhancements found in the BlackBerry 7 based smartphones delivers browsing  results that are up to 40% faster than BlackBerry® 6 based smartphones and up to 100% faster than BlackBerry® 5 based smartphones*.  Additional enhancements to this next generation BlackBerry browser have also optimized zooming and panning for smoother web navigation and optimized HTML5 performance for incredible gaming and video experiences.

RIM’s new BlackBerry 7 based smartphones also feature Liquid GraphicsTM technology, with each smartphone combining a dedicated high-performance graphics processor with a blazingly fast CPU and stunning high resolution display to deliver a highly responsive touch interface with incredibly fast and smooth graphics.

In addition, BlackBerry 7 based smartphones continue the tradition of delivering the world’s best mobile communications experience with a highly refined and integrated suite of phone, email, messaging and social apps to keep users connected and productive throughout the day. Recent enhancements include the newest release of BBM™ (BlackBerry® Messenger) which now extends the real time BBM experience to a range of other apps (see separate announcement on July 28, 2011). The updated Social Feeds (2.0) app has been extended to capture updates from media, podcasts, and favorites all in one consolidated view. The new Facebook® for BlackBerry smartphones (2.0) app introduces features like Facebook chat and BBM integration that makes it easier for users to connect with their Facebook friends in real time.

BlackBerry 7 OS also includes a number of other pre-loaded applications and integrated functionality for increased productivity and collaboration right out of the box. The Premium version of Documents To Go is now included free of charge, offering users powerful document editing features as well as a native PDF document viewer. BlackBerry® Protect is also pre-loaded**, offering customers the peace of mind that personal data can be backed up and secured in the cloud.  BlackBerry® Balance (announced May 2, 2011) is now integrated in BlackBerry 7, allowing users to enjoy the full BlackBerry smartphone experience for both work and personal purposes without compromising the IT department’s need for advanced security and IT controls. And further, the popular universal search capability has been enhanced with support for voice-activated search, so users can now simply speak to begin searching their device and the web for information.

A New Performance Driven Platform
RIM’s line up of next generation BlackBerry smartphones are built on a new performance driven platform powered by the latest BlackBerry software and hardware. In addition to supporting the new BlackBerry 7 OS, each smartphone also features a range of powerful hardware enhancements including a 1.2 GHz processor, HD video recording, 24-bit high resolution graphics, and advanced sensors enabling new augmented reality applications such as Wikitude that can be seamlessly integrated with BBM 6 – all designed to deliver the ultimate in communications, multimedia and productivity for users around the world.

BlackBerry Bold 9900 and 9930 Smartphones with Touch Display and Keyboard
The BlackBerry Bold 9900 series is the thinnest BlackBerry smartphone yet (at only 10.5mm) and the first to offer the perfect union of a high performance keyboard and touch display integrated within the iconic BlackBerry Bold design. The new BlackBerry Bold 9900 and 9930 are also the first BlackBerry smartphones to include built-in support for NFC (Near Field Communications), a new technology that is  enabling many new and exciting capabilities, including the ability to pair accessories or read SmartPoster tags with a simple tap of the smartphone. Distinguished by its beautiful design, amazingly effective keyboard and brilliant touch display, the BlackBerry Bold 9900 series is crafted with premium materials including a brushed stainless steel frame that puts the finishing touch on a truly outstanding smartphone.

BlackBerry Torch 9810 Smartphone with Touch Display and Slide-Out Keyboard
Building on the popular design of the BlackBerry Torch 9800, the new BlackBerry Torch 9810 is faster and more fluid with high performance hardware features and the new BlackBerry 7 OS delivering an enhanced multimedia experience. Featuring a large 3.2”, high resolution touch display and a distinctive BlackBerry keyboard that easily slides out to allow faster typing, the BlackBerry Torch 9810 truly delivers the best of both worlds.

All-Touch BlackBerry Torch 9850 and 9860 Smartphones
The BlackBerry Torch 9850 and 9860 smartphones offer the fast, fluid BlackBerry 7 experience in a stylish new all-touch design. With a spectacular new 3.7” display, the largest ever on a BlackBerry smartphone, the new all-touch BlackBerry Torch 9850 and 9860 smartphones are optimized for displaying web pages, photos, videos, and powerful gaming experiences and still deliver the real-time communication and collaboration experience loved by millions of BlackBerry smartphone users around the world.

Availability
The next generation of BlackBerry smartphones will begin to be available from carriers around the world starting later this month. Availability dates for specific devices from specific carriers will be announced in conjunction with RIM’s partners.

In addition, the firm found that employees argued they are 58% more productive while on long-distance travel trips when they have a tablet in tow. Yankee Group also argues that consumerization is taking over the workplace and that four times more employees are now using tools designed for the consumer market for work purposes — with IT’s approval, of course. The survey involved 5,000 consumers, 2,250 employees and “IT decision makers” in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom. Read on for the full press release.

Yankee Group Unveils New European Mobile User Study

New survey offering finds 40 percent of smartphone buyers plan to choose an iPhone.

London, U.K. Jun 22, 2011 – Yankee Group today announced the 2011 European Mobile User Study, which is designed to help both European and global firms make better product, pricing and segmentation decisions. The new study polls 5,000 consumers and 2,250 employees and IT decision-makers across five European countries: France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the U.K.

Available in July, this new survey offering provides key insights into European mobile user behavior, attitudes and purchase plans. For example, it finds 40 percent of consumers who intend to buy a smartphone as their next mobile device will choose an iPhone. Android-based devices come in second (19 percent), followed by BlackBerry (17 percent) and Nokia (15 percent).

“These findings highlight the continued strength of Apple in the European smartphone market and, in particular, its phenomenal brand appeal,” said Declan Lonergan, research VP at Yankee Group. “The data also highlights the enormous challenges faced by Nokia and RIM to retain mind share and market share in this increasingly dynamic and competitive marketplace.”

Other study findings include:

Consumerization is taking over the enterprise. Four times more employees use consumer tools for work purposes with IT’s explicit approval.
New devices spur productivity. Employees say they are 58 percent more productive during long-distance travel when they have a tablet.
Mobile users are multi-device-savvy. Most users have more than one device and they access the same services and content via the screen best suited for the time and place.

In addition to the new study, Yankee Group also announced that Simon Rodd is joining the firm as portfolio manager within the company’s European sales team (see accompanying release).

It surely looks like RIM is trying very hard not to lose its customers as well as attract new ones. If the information that has been sent to BGR could be trusted, the new BlackBerry Storm 3 looks like a pretty powerful device.

The Storm 3 will feature a 3.7-inch capacitive touchscreen with the highest resolution for a BlackBerry phone ever – 800×480 pixels. Still unknown is whether the Storm 3 will feature the SurePress display or not. From the leaked photos of the device it seems that it will feature the trackpad that RIM’s customers have been used to.

Also impressive are the 1.2Ghz processor and 512MB of RAM that should give plenty of power to the device. On board is a 5MP camera capable of 720p video recording, 8GB storage, Wireless N connectivity and Bluetooth 2.1 with EDR.

The usual accelerometer, magnetometer, microSD card slot and proximity sensor are present as well. Juice will be provided by a 1230mAh battery. OpenGL ES 2.0 suggests the Storm 3 should have a more advanced GPU on board, but we’ll wait for an official word from RIM on that.

The device will run the new BlackBerry OS 6.1, which has the 3G mobile hotspot feature. Reportedly, the device is aimed to launch in September this year with a couple of variations around the world.

BlackBerry Bold 9780  is the first BlackBerry Bold smartphone to come with the new BlackBerry® 6 operating system and the  2nd phone after  Torch 9800 to come with BB OS 6.0.

“BlackBerry smartphones are very well received in India and we are pleased to be working with our partners to launch the new BlackBerry Bold 9780 in  the Indian market,” said Frenny Bawa, Managing Director, India, RIM. “We believe that customers will be extremely impressed with the enhanced user interface and exciting new features available with the BlackBerry 6 operating system.”

The BlackBerry® Bold™ 9780 is now available in the Indian market for Rs. 27990 INR (excluding VAT).

Unfortunately it’s not something technical but rather an unexpected color. The phone will apparently be available in red, at least from some carriers at some point in the near future. T-Mobile will have to device out in stores on November 17th and it will cost $129.99 when bundled with new 2-year contracts.

The BlackBerry Bold 9780 is but a minor refresh of the previous, 9700 model and will offer you a 5-megapixel camera, a 512MB of RAM, BlackBerry OS 6 with a WebKit browser and universal search on top of the regular Bold features: HVGA display, WiFi b/g/n, GPS, and HSPA 3G. Will you be waiting for the red version or will the black version of the new Bold do?

The BlackBerry 9670 Style will offer you a 2.7-inch internal display, a 2-inch external display, a full QWERTY keyboard, 512MB internal storage, 8GB included microSD card, 624MHz processor, WiFi b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1, 3.5mm headset jack, 5-megapixel camera with auto focus, flash and video recording, an 1,150mAh battery and BlackBerry OS 6 running the show.

The phone will be available for pre-order starting tomorrow but you’ll have to wait a couple of weeks to actually get. Are you ready for some Style in your life or are you looking for a different kind of smartphone?

The BlackBerry Torch features a 3.2 inch touch screen display with a resolution of 480 x 360 pixels, and it comes with BlackBerry 6 OS.

BlackBerry Torch 9800 Coming To Vodafone UKThere is also a slide out QWERTY keyboard, a five megapixel camera with a built in flash and auto focus, plus integrated 802.11 b/g/n WiFi and Bluetooth 2.1.

The BlackBerry Torch 9800 features a 1300 mAh battery, and it comes with 512MB of RAM
, 512MB of flash storage, plus 4GB of flash storage and a microSD card sl.ot with a 4GB micro SD card.

Other features include tabbed browsing so you can access multiple web pages at the same time as well as a range of social networking features for sites like Facebook, Twitter and MySpace.

Vodafone UK haven’t released any pricing information, or announced when they will start selling the BlackBerry Torch 9800.

BlackBerry Torch brings in a full QWERTY keyboard and a 3.2″ HVGA+ (480 x 360 pixels) display in an acceptably thick 14.6mm body. The tri-band 3G handset packs Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth and GPS, making up for an excellent all-round connectivity.

The 5 megapixel autofocus snapper on the BlackBerry Torch 9800 back is capable of recording videos up to VGA resolution. There is 512 MB of operating memory on board, while the storage capacity is 4GB, expandable by up to 32GB through the microSD card slot. There will also be a 4GB card included in every retail package.

The BlackBerry Torch 9800 will be offered exclusively (at least in the US) to AT&T customers, starting from 12 August. It will cost a cent short of 200 bucks after a two-year contract.

Meanwhile RIM announced the availability of the BlackBerry Storm2 in South Korea. It was a pretty long wait, the handset taking almost a year to reach those shores, but SK Telecom subscribers can now walk into one of the carrier’s authorized shops and grab one.

The phone’s sliding keyboard looks pretty usable and BlackBerry OS 6.0 seems promising. Last we heard, BlackBerry 9800 Slider came packing a HVGA display, 512MB RAM, WiFi 802.11n, 4GB of memory, a upgraded WebKit browser and an enhanced media player. SurePress will also be on board and the touchscreen mentioned before is a capacitive one.

The camera at the back might incorporate a 5 megapixel sensor, but that’s not been confirmed yet.