Monday, May 14,2007 @ 3:35pm
BlackBerry Pearl to see GPS, Wi-Fi
RIM's BlackBerry Pearl should see a major revision by late summer, according to sources aware of long-term plans. Internally called the 8120, the upgraded phone would take high-end features from premium BlackBerries and those yet to be released. Native GPS would come over from the Curve for route-finding in a smaller form. So far unreleased in any of RIM's newer devices is Wi-Fi, which should provide an alternative to cell-based EDGE access. The camera will also be upgraded to a 2-megapixel sensor versus the 1.3-megapixel unit that shipped in 2006.
The anonymous report alleges that the refreshed Pearl will arrive in September with blue, gold, and titanium expanding the color range beyond the black, white, and red tints on sale. Rogers Wireless, a dominant provider in RIM's home country of Canada, is so far the only named carrier for the phone but a US release is expected up to one week in advance through a GSM-based service such as AT&T or T-Mobile. [via BGR]