2nd BlackBerry Storm 2 leak adds details
updated 02:10 pm EDT, Thu May 21, 2009
BBerry Storm 2 Second Leak
A second leak has today confirmed many details for RIM's sequel to the BlackBerry Storm. Following an earlier slip that confirmed its existence, Engadget vouches that the phone drops the problematic click-down touchscreen in favor of a straightforward model that behaves like the iPhone's, including the feel of its surface and its scrolling. It also continues to have dual-mode CDMA and GSM for roaming outside of Verizon's network.
The design is sleeker and appears to have higher build quality than the original, with a heavier design and more uses of metal instead of plastic. A 3.2-megapixel camera and 3.5mm headphone jack carry over from the original Storm, as does much of the OS interface from what's viewable on the prototype.
None of the phone's launch details, other than its choice of carrier, have been supported with the leak. One unverified rumor has the sequel shipping by the end of June, though OS bugs hindering the current release make such an early release doubtful; most cellphones often require weeks of testing to be greenlit for use. An early confirmation of the new BlackBerry still implies an accelerated launch compared to the earlier Storm, which wasn't unveiled until October and was hampered by bugs that both pushed the launch to late November and created problems for weeks after the original release.
Verizon has commonly recognized the Storm as its "halo" device to counter the iPhone as well as to attract customers towards other phones in its lineup.
