RIM: BlackBerry 10 is fine, delays are down to chip ship slip

RIM has strenuously denied that hiccups in development are delaying the launch of phones based on its new OS, citing chip deliveries as the problem.

In an explicit statement RIM's CEO Mike Lazaridis says the Boy Genius Report blog, reporting problems with the upcoming BlackBerry 10* OS, is "inaccurate and uninformed". He then reiterates that delays to the launch of handsets using Blackberry 10 are caused by RIM's decision to wait for a dual-core processor with integrated LTE (4G), rather than any problems getting the software working.

The accusation that things were not well with the software was posted here, citing an inside source from RIM. The blog recognises the seriousness of the accusation, but claims the information comes from "one of our most trusted sources" and that it spells the end for RIM.

RIM has struggled to get a client for the BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES) ported to the PlayBook, which runs the next-generation OS. The OS is smooth, and even runs Angry Birds these days, but it still hasn't got a decent e-mail or messaging client as it relies on the user having a BlackBerry handset for that kind of thing.

The PlayBook is just one of the reasons RIM is in real trouble, and the company can't afford accusations such as this to go unaddressed. The best way to really put the issue to bed would be to get a BES-compatible e-mail client out onto the PlayBook as quickly as possible. As long as there's a flagship device which doesn't support the flagship service, RIM doesn't look as good as it could.

We'll find out for sure in the next month or two, when the BES client launches for the PlayBook - or doesn't. ®

*That's the OS formerly known as QNX, and briefly as BBX.