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RIM unlocks BlackBerry in India
By siliconindia
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Monday, 19 January 2009, 18:36 IST |
1 Comments
Bangalore: Your network bound BlackBerry get a new life. Research In Motion (RIM) will soon introduce 'unlocked' versions of its signature handset BlackBerry in India. The new version phones will allow the currently network-restricted (Airtel, Reliance Communications, and Vodafone) BlackBerry to function on the network of any telecom service provider.
The move is a part of RIM's attempt to move away from just being an enterprise phone to a multimedia device in order to grab a larger audience in the various segments of booming Indian mobile market. Though a late entrant in the touchscreen phone segment, the company had recently launched BlackBerry Storm, its first touchscreen mobile phone, a strong competitor for the Apple's iPhone. RIM also plans to launch localized applications in India for specific areas such as entertainment and sports.
BlackBerry products, which are sold in India through partnerships with telecom operators till now, will have no restrictions as users will be free to opt for a network of their choice. Since BlackBerry comes under the premium segment handset bracket; it may also introduce a price-wise stripped down version of the Blackberry for the Indian market, reports suggest.
The company currently has 13 handsets in India. In order to increase its market presence, RIM has collaborated with Redington India, a premier distributor for popular brands like Nokia, Western Digital, IBM, Canon, Samsung, Seagate, APC, Asus, Computer Associates, Cisco, HCL and Hitachi.
