Research In Motion (TSX: RIM) made another step Monday towards the release of its new BlackBerry smart-phones, announcing that it plans to unveil the devices and its new operating system on Jan. 30.
The launch date provides a little more certainty for those who were skeptical that another BlackBerry would ever see the light of day, but it still doesn't confirm when customers will be able to buy the new touchscreen and keypad versions at stores.
"We're not going to talk about availability yet," said company spokeswoman Crystal Roberts in a telephone interview.
Instead, RIM is planning to use the January date as a platform to showcase the make-or-break device with simultaneous events in multiple countries, though it's still uncertain exactly which countries will be the first to get a peek.
The launch could mimic the style that technology giant Apple Inc. has made famous in recent years, with its CEO showing off new devices on a stage surrounded by a rapturous crowd of eager users.
Given that the BlackBerry launch will be held in multiple countries at the same time, it's unclear at this point in which city or cities RIM's chief executive Thorsten Heins will appear.
Shares of RIM were higher Monday, up three per cent or 25 cents at $8.81 on the Toronto Stock Exchange, but the gain was only about half that made earlier in the session, shortly after the company issued the announcement.
The minimal stock movement suggests traders were not surprised by the announcement, since the launch date was in line with expectations, said Bill Kre-her, a technology analyst with financial services firm Edward Jones.
"Given recent missteps and delays, we believe this removes some uncertainty around the timing these devices make it to market," he said, noting that the phones are likely to hit shelves in late February or March.
"I'm still skeptical regarding that moment of truth when consumers are faced with multiple devices, that they'll actually purchase a BlackBerry 10."
RIM has outlined that it plans to launch the new smartphones with grassroots and viral marketing campaigns that lean heavily on recruiting loyal BlackBerry users and former users who have switched to competitors' devices, like the iPhone and Samsung Galaxy S3, but would consider coming back to the BlackBerry.
But analysts say that will only get the company so far in its launch.
"The company is playing catch up, they do not have the ecosystem of other devices," Kreher said, noting the prominence of apps stores from Apple and Google.
"With their branding waning over the last few years, we think marketing will help but a hit product is what will allow RIM to succeed long term."
Last week, the company gave Canadian politicians and their staff a preview of the yet-to-be-released devices, while it also won U.S. security clearance for the BlackBerry 10 platform.
"They're trying to thread the needle between big announcements and releases from their most serious competitors," said Charter Equity analyst Edward Snyder.
