Could It Be? Photos Purport To Show BlackBerry Is Making An Effort In Touch Screen Arena

Whenever my friends are like, “Ugh, I just spilled water in my BlackBerry keyboard!” I don’t feel bad. No, I just hope that said friend will finally get a phone with a touch screen like the rest of the civilized world. I’m mostly joking — BlackBerry still has some very loyal fans, but its maker RIM has been criticized for not keeping up with the touch screen smartphone times. That might all be changing now.

 

Over at Business Insider they claim to have received a few images of RIM’s next offering for BlackBerry, the Z10. According to their super secret source, the company is testing versions of the phone for both AT&T and Verizon Wireless.

The Z10s are set next to an iPhone 4S in the photos so as to give the viewer a bit of perspective on how big it’ll be. RIM will reportedly unveil its new BlackBerry 10 operating system on Jan. 30, which makes the Z10 a logical choice for the phone’s name.

According to the source, who is purportedly testing out the phone, the back cover “feels rubbery and snaps on sort of like the back cover on Samsung’s Galaxy S III,” it has a fast web browser that supports Flash and its AppWorld store resembles Google Play on Android devices, among other things.

It still remains to be seen if 1. This is an actual phone and 2. If RIM can dig itself out of the pit of irrelevance it’s been digging by continuing to offer mostly phones with physical keyboards and a clunky design.

Note: Yes, as Consumerist reader John points out, the BlackBerry Torch has a touch screen. But most versions except the most recent also include a slide-out keyboard. Ostensibly, this latest offering will allow BlackBerry to compete on a more level playing field with Samsung, Apple and the like, all of which are more about the touch screen experience.

Here Are Leaked Photos Of The Next BlackBerry Phone For Verizon And AT&T [Business Insider]

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.