03/28, 9:31am
Profit increased to $94M from $2.7B revenues, similar income to Q3 results
BlackBerry has reported a profit in its latest quarterly report, the first since it rebranded from Research in Motion. Details in the fourth-quarter filing shows the phone manufacturer as earning an operating profit of $94 million from $2.7 billion in revenues, an improvement from the $14 million earned in the previous quarter with roughly-similar revenues.
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02/14, 1:18pm
SEC filing shows shares sold before end of 2012
The former co-CEO of BlackBerry has sold his entire stake in the company, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing. Jim Balsillie, who shared the title of chief executive officer with Mike Lazaridis until January 2012, previously held 5.1-percent of the firm, and placed him as the third-largest shareholder in what was formerly called Research In Motion.
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01/30, 11:20am
Touchscreen-only, keyboard smartphones announced
BlackBerry, formerly known as Research In Motion, has revealed two new smartphones at it's global press events. The BlackBerry Z10 is the touchscreen-only device that was previously leaked, while the Blackberry Q10 is the first with a physical keyboard, with both running on the newly-launched BlackBerry 10 mobile operating system.
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01/30, 7:28am
Store goes live ahead of BlackBerry 10 launch events
Research in Motion has put its new BlackBerry World storefront online. The phone manufacturer's online store now stocks a number of apps, music, and videos for purchase and download, ahead of the company's global launch events for its BlackBerry 10 mobile operating system and, most likely, new BlackBerry smartphones.
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01/28, 2:26pm
Movies expected same-day as DVD, television day after broadcast
Two days before its BlackBerry 10 hardware rollout, Research in Motion (RIM) has revealed video and music partners for its storefront. The biggest names in the announcement are Sony Pictures, Universal Music Group, Walt Disney Studios, and the Warner Music Group. RIM has claimed that its BlackBerry World media store will include a large catalog of music, television, and movies, with most movies available the same day as the DVD release.
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01/21, 12:58pm
Video shows RIM handset larger than iPhone 5
A video showing the BlackBerry Z10 has surfaced online, with the smartphone being compared to the iPhone 5. The Z10, previously seen in leaked photos, is shown to be a physically larger handset compared to Apple's offering, and though Research In Motion's device isn't running on finalized software, various operating system features are directly compared in the YouTube clip.
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01/21, 11:19am
Rebranding of app store mirrors that of Google Play
Research In Motion is rebranding the BlackBerry App World into BlackBerry World, turning the store into a "one-stop shop" for various kinds of content. In a similar move to Google in rebranding the Android Market as Google Play, the name change will see the service offering media as well as applications, expanding its focus to include video and music.
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01/21, 7:39am
Management discusses options in strategic review post BB10 launch
Research In Motion is considering selling its hardware production arm after the launch of BlackBerry 10, as one of a number of potential actions. RIM CEO Thorsten Heins said that a strategic review could lead towards the sale, or potentially offering licenses for its software to other manufacturers, opening the door to non-RIM BlackBerry devices in the future.
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01/16, 12:38pm
Snapdragon processor, 356ppi pixel density confirmed
Training materials for the upcoming BlackBerry 10 devices have leaked online. The manuals, claimed to be from carrier Rogers, give a few more details about the future Research In Motion flagship smartphone, including its "Best in class HTML5" browser, and an expected 70,000 apps and 20 million songs expected to be made available at launch.
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01/14, 6:56am
Port-A-Thons promises developers cash, prizes for BB10 apps
A pair of recent Research In Motion events has led to an additional 15,000 apps being made available for users of its BlackBerry 10 devices, when they launch at the end of the month. The Android Port-A-Thon and Community Port-A-Thon, designed to allow developers to create BlackBerry 10-compatible versions of their apps for cash and prizes, reached the total within 38 hours, according to RIM vice president of developer relations Alec Saunders
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01/11, 9:58am
Issue suspected to be Vodafone-specific problem
BlackBerry users in the UK, Europe and Africa using Vodafone are suffering from server issues. Research In Motion devices in affected regions are finding that data-related services, such as BlackBerry Messenger and e-mails, are not functioning normally, but the UK carrier assures it will be rectified by network engineers in the near future.
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01/03, 9:46am
New budget Curve to include FM Radio, BlackBerry OS 7.1
Research In Motion has revealed a new budget-level BlackBerry smartphone in its range, running the BlackBerry 7.1 operating system. The Curve 9315 will roll out later this month on January 23rd for T-Mobile in the United States, a week ahead of the phone manufacturer's BlackBerry 10 launch events.
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12/28, 8:54am
Ongoing fees between $2 and $5 per handset expected in future
The first part of Research In Motion's settlement with Nokia has been paid, a week after the two companies agreed to end all of their outstanding patent battles. The one-off payment of 50 million euro ($65 million) by RIM will be followed by currently-unknown ongoing payments, as part of a patent licensing agreement between the mobile phone manufacturers.
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12/20, 5:39pm
$2.7 billion in revenue down five percent from previous quarter
Beleaguered BlackBerry manufacturer Research In Motion today reported its financial results for the quarter ended December 1, beating analyst expectations with an adjusted loss of 22 cents per share. Wall Street prognosticators had expected a loss of 35 cents per share, but RIM's ongoing cost cutting efforts caused the company to outperform expectations with $2.7 billion in revenue and an adjusted net loss of $114 million. The better-than-expected results may give the struggling smartphone maker some breathing room with investors as it prepares to launch its next generation of BlackBerry devices early next year.
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12/19, 11:14am
Four main carriers to sell new RIM handset at launch
Major phone networks in the United Kingdom have expressed their intent to support BlackBerry 10 handsets when they are released. Carriers Vodafone, O2, Three, and EE will all carry the new handsets, which are set to be on sale shortly after Research In Motion's operating system global launch event, set for January 30th.
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12/18, 6:01am
Screenshots show BB10 Hub, possible voice assistant
Images showing the user interface of BlackBerry 10 have leaked online. The screenshots show not only the general layout of the software as a whole, but also a number of important features, including the new Blackberry 10 Hub, and something that looks as if Research In Motion has created their own version of voice assistant Siri.
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12/17, 10:38am
Meanwhile, Rogers opens reservations for BB10 phone
BlackBerry maker Research in Motion has begun sending out invitations to media outlets for the unveiling of its latest handset running the newest version of its mobile operating system, BlackBerry 10. The all-touchscreen phone will be revealed at a media event in New York City and other cities around the world on January 30. Meanwhile, Canadian wireless carrier Rogers has announced that it will be carrying the new BlackBerry on its LTE network next year, and Rogers has begun accepting reservations for future BlackBerry customers even though the device has yet to be revealed.
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12/13, 8:19pm
InMobi sees smartphones outpacing tablets in growth
Mobile ad network InMobi released its latest Insights Report today, finding that devices running Apple's iOS platform retain the lead in mobile ad impressions, while Android devices are closing the gap. InMobi's analysis found Apple with a clear lead at 46 percent of ad impressions in the most recent quarter, up 4.1 percentage points from the previous measure. Android devices, though, grew 5.4 points in the quarter, and now account for 43.6 percent of market share by ad impressions.
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12/12, 7:18am
Close-up shots of RIM handset shows design, ports
More images showing one of Research In Motion's new smartphones have appeared online. The new images of the BlackBerry 10 L-Series device gives a close-up view of the handset, and joins previous other phone-related leaks that have surfaced ahead of the company's new operating system launch, set for January 30th next year.
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12/11, 10:29am
Litigation follows recent LTE suits against Apple, HTC, Sierra
Research In Motion is being sued for infringing a patent relating to Bluetooth. Wi-LAN, owner of US Patent 6,260,168, has filed the lawsuit in the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida against RIM, and is seeking unspecified damages as well as preliminary and permanent injunctions on the sale of infringing RIM products.
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12/10, 11:14am
BlackBerry 10 update page launched at same time
Research in Motion has updated BlackBerry Messenger to include free Wi-Fi calling between BBM users. BBM 7.0 with BBM Voice allows its users to make calls without using the cell network, such as in signal blackspots, and also lets users still send messages to one another while in the middle of the call, as well as other updates to the app.
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12/05, 11:03am
Added note says password blacklist will be updated over time
A list containing passwords unusable on BlackBerry 10 devices has leaked. The list, containing what Research in Motion deems to be the most obvious passwords, appears to be designed to stop anyone from using easily-guessable passwords on the operating system. Though not a cure-all to every security threat, it does add some security by forcing users to choose more secure words, phrases, or codes than they would have previously used.
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12/01, 8:30pm
Goldman faith in BB10 pumps RIM stocks
Embattled BlackBerry maker Research In Motion saw its stock jump slightly this week as investment bank Goldman Sachs expressed confidence in RIM's ability to return to profitability on the back of its forthcoming BlackBerry 10 operating system and devices. RIM shares closed at $11.60 on Friday, up 0.52 percent for the day and up significantly from their close on Wednesday. On Thursday, shares had jumped as much as four percent in light of Goldman's prediction. Overall, shares of RIM are up nearly 80 percent since late September.
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11/29, 10:23am
New prototype uses keyboard, forgoes touchscreen-only interface
Research In Motion has revealed it will make a new prototype BlackBerry 10 device available to developers. The announcement at BlackBerry JAM in Asia said that developers could apply for one of the 1,500 devices, and that recipients of the prototypes will be able to swap the device after launch for a full-production version.
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11/28, 12:08pm
BlackBerry sales could see halt unless RIM pays Nokia
Research In Motion has lost a contract dispute over Nokia-held patents, one that could see BlackBerry phone sales halted in the event that the Canadian phone manufacturer doesn't pay royalties to Nokia. Nokia revealed today that a Swedish arbitrator had determined that RIM was in breach of contract and would have to pay Nokia royalties before it could sell products featuring wireless local access network technologies.
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11/27, 8:46pm
Corporate purchases of iPhones over six times that of BB units
Everyone knows that Research in Motion (RIM), the makers of the BlackBerry, have had a rough year -- but the disinterest in the platform has spread to even its most core constituency, corporate and enterprise buyers, industry analyst IDC reports. A significant portion of that disenchantment may stem from the burgeoning Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) movement, that has seen a grass-roots exodus away from BlackBerrys in favor of iOS devices, along with some Android devices, amid growing impatience for BB10 to arrive.
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11/12, 8:51am
Mobile OS, two new BlackBerry 10 handsets to be formally unveilled
Research In Motion is planning to launch BlackBerry 10 on January 30th, CEO Thorsten Heins has revealed. A launch event for the mobile operating system will take place in a number of countries around the world, which will also play host to the first public unveiling of two new smartphones running BlackBerry 10.
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11/11, 7:15pm
Contest to fill app catalog offers trips to GDC, hardware
Research In Motion is preparing to offer developers rewards for porting games to BlackBerry 10. Starting on November 16th and lasting 36 hours, the Got Game Port-a-Thon will provide cash and prizes to developers who successfully put their app on the platform, with the value of prizes on offer increasing with the number of successful submissions from a participant.
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10/26, 9:31am
RIM replaces Nokia in top 5 for global sales
Third-quarter figures from IDC suggest that Samsung and Apple account for almost half of smartphones shipped. While HTC and ZTE continue to appear in the top five smartphone vendors worldwide, Nokia has dropped from the rankings and been replaced by Research in Motion.
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10/22, 6:29pm
Agency will shift $2.1 million in annual purchasing to Apple
In yet another blow to beleaguered Canadian tech giant Research In Motion, the US government's Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency has filed to stop using BlackBerrys for its agency smartphones, and will instead switch to Apple's iPhones. The deal, worth $2.1 million annually, will provide iPhones for most of the agency's more than 17,600 employees, according to a solicitation document obtained by Reuters. ICE studied both Android and iOS as options before deciding that iPhones best met its needs.
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10/10, 2:32pm
Balance feature locks enterprise functions
Research In Motion headlined the second-day keynote at the MobileCon expo in San Diego, where the company once again showed off its upcoming BlackBerry 10 platform. Chief information officer Robin Bienfait reiterated RIM's commitment to building a fresh computing platform "from the ground up," and further claimed the mobile device is "approaching the functionality and power of a laptop."
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10/09, 12:47pm
No delay announced, but stocks tumble anyway
Shares in Research in Motion fell today after a Jeffries & Co. analyst predicted that devices running its BlackBerry 10 operating system would likely miss the fourth fiscal quarter and debut in March. RIM shares had dropped 3.7 percent by 11:05 EST today, and are down 4.5 percent as of 12:35 EST. RIM has made no announcement regarding any product delays.
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09/27, 5:12pm
RIM sees net loss of $235 million
Research in Motion posted a $235 million operating loss for the second quarter of this year, but shares in the company rose as the BlackBerry maker reported figures that beat analysts expectations. The Wall Street Journal reports that RIM stocks were up 14 percent today on news that RIM's subscriber base has grown even as it struggles to maintain a prominent position in light of increased competition from Apple, Samsung, and other smartphone manufacturers.
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08/23, 10:40pm
Phones due first quarter 2013
Canadian phone producer Research in Motion has begun demonstrating its new BlackBerry 10 smartphones to wireless providers worldwide, but a ship date of an actual product remains "months and months" away. The phones are tentatively scheduled for early 2013, placing it a full quarter or more after the expected release of the iPhone 5 and other anticipated devices running the new version of Android -- "Jellybean."
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08/16, 12:48pm
RIM confirms resolution to aid development
When Research in Motion's two new BlackBerry phones launch next year, they will do so with HD displays. The devices' resolutions were confirmed in a post today on the BlackBerry Developer Blog. The troubled handset maker released the information this early in order to aid BlackBerry developers, who had previously alerted the company that resolution changes can make it difficult to develop and optimize apps.
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08/14, 12:01pm
Heins interview confirms licensing possibility
Research in Motion may be able to license the BlackBerry 10 operating system to other handset manufacturers in the near future. In an interview with Bloomberg, CEO Thorsten Heins effectively confirmed that the OS could be licensed to others as QNX, the software backbone on which BlackBerry 10 is largely based, which has already been used in the automotive industry, nuclear plants and in military drones.
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08/11, 9:25pm
RIM to shed cloud services provider as restructuring continues
Research in Motion is looking to divest itself of the cloud service provider NewBay, which it acquired only last year. Sources familiar with the BlackBerry maker's plans tell Reuters that the NewBay sale would be yet another step in the company's continuing effort to retool and address its steadily worsening market woes.
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08/08, 2:34pm
Android, Apple account for 85 percent of 2Q shipments
Android-powered smartphones accounted for 68.1 percent of all smartphones shipped in the second quarter of this year. This according to new numbers out from the International Data Corporation, which found that Google and Apple's operating systems, when taken together, accounted for 85 percent of the smartphone market. IDC's numbers also reflected the declining share of Nokia's defunct Symbian platform and Research in Motion's troubled BlackBerry OS.
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08/02, 4:16pm
Licensing could spread platform across lower-cost devices
Research in Motion CEO Thorsten Heins says the company is exploring all options with regard to increasing the user base for its forthcoming BlackBerry 10 operating system, including licensing the software for use on devices made by other manufacturers. In an interview with The Telegraph, Heins said that a licensing agreement could help grow BlackBerry OS' market share while RIM focuses on shoring up its own bottom line with premium-priced devices. Heins' comments come even as reports circulate that the BlackBerry maker is in its death throes.
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07/11, 4:44pm
Flawed patent uses combination of speed and captcha
Research In Motion has been granted a patent to help prevent texting while driving. Approved by the USPTO, the patent halts the creation of outbound messages when it is in motion in a certain range of speed, preventing drivers from being distracted by responding to incoming messages, albeit with a minor flaw.
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07/10, 6:48pm
CEO promises 'lean, mean' RIM
Research In Motion held its annual shareholder meeting today, and Wall Street appears unimpressed with executives' plans to reverse the company's flagging fortunes. The past year has seen nearly 80 percent of RIM's value vanish in the face of competition, and observers from many corners are wondering if the company can survive the year. Speaking with shareholders, Reuters reports, CEO Thorsten Heins retained his previously-expressed optimism about the company's future; shareholders appear skeptical though.
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07/07, 3:26pm
Two to three billion in less than a third the time it took for one billion
Struggling BlackBerry maker Research In Motion announced that its BlackBerry App World service has passed the three billion app download mark. A post on the Inside BlackBerry developer blog noted that downloads on the service are accelerating, and the App World reached its three billionth download in less than a third of the time that it took to reach the one billion mark. RIM's App World still lags far behind its competitors on other platforms.
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07/03, 4:15pm
Exec claims nothing wrong with BlackBerry maker
Despite analyst downgrades, layoff announcements and a $518 million quarterly loss, Research In Motion CEO Thorsten Heins suggests there is "nothing wrong with the company as it exists right now," according to an interview with CBC Radio One's Metro Morning program in Toronto. The executive did make a distinction between the company as he took over as CEO six months ago and the company as it now stands.
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07/02, 9:12pm
PlayBook 4G, 10-inch tablet shown
A leaked image of a proposed roadmap appears to show the release windows for Research In Motion's now-delayed BlackBerry 10 devices. The roadmap, acquired by BlackBerryOS.com, shows that the company plans a 4G-enabled version of its PlayBook, and a 10-inch tablet, as well as the company's previously revealed touchscreen and QWERTY handsets. The veracity of the leak is as yet unknown, but it does conform to recent news that devices running the BlackBerry 10 OS would be delayed until next year.
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06/28, 6:37pm
BlackBerry smartphone pushed to Q1 2013
Research In Motion posted a half-billion dollar loss last quarter, and the company will be pushing back the release of its newest BlackBerry handsets to the first quarter of next year. The company released its financial statement for the quarter ended June 2 today, showing the recent operating loss and forecasting continuing difficulties in the quarters to come. The troubled device manufacturer will continue workforce reductions in the near future as it struggles to return to profitability.
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06/25, 8:00pm
Analyst thumbs down leads to lowest close since 2003
Embattled BlackBerry manufacturer Research In Motion took another hit today, as a negative report from Morgan Stanley sparked a 7.7 percent drop in the company's stock price. Morgan Stanley analysts have put forward bleak forecasts for the phone maker's future, even as the company tries to right itself in the months leading up to the release of its revamped mobile operating system, BlackBerry 10.
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06/21, 3:24pm
Physical keyboards on BlackBerry 10 devices will arrive eventually, but not at launch
Breaking with a long-standing tradition, Research In Motion (RIM) confirmed on Thursday that its first device running on the upcoming BlackBerry 10 OS won't have a physical, QWERTY keyboard. That handset is rumored to arrive in mid-October, with the touchscreen rumors also originating from this story. Instead, the phone will have a virtual, on-screen keyboard like competitors from Apple and Android-powered devices, The Washington Post reported.
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06/02, 6:29pm
Complainant in different industry, BBM allowed to be used by RIM
BlackBerry manufacturer Research in Motion (RIM) has won a rare victory in court. The Federal Court of Canada has ruled that RIM can continue to use the acronym BBM, for BlackBerry Messenger, as an analyst firm challenging the trademark operates in an entirely different industry.
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05/29, 7:26pm
Bankers called in to guide turnaround
Research In Motion has admitted that its fiscal first-quarter, which ends on June 2, is expected to show an operating loss as the BlackBerry maker continues to struggle in the smartphone and tablet markets. Amid the chaos, the company has called on JP Morgan and RBC to render assistance in the ongoing restructuring and transformation.
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05/28, 5:38pm
Planned retirement, remaining at RIM until replacement found
Research in Motion's (RIM) top lawyer has submitted her resignation. Karima Bawa will depart the beleaguered BlackBerry maker, joining many long-standing company officials who have left since the beginning of this year. Bawa joined RIM in 2000, and was promoted to general counsel and chief legal officer in late 2010. She will remain at RIM until a replacement is in place.
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