BlackBerry Q10 may hit market in April

BlackBerry's highly anticipated
smartphone with keyboard may hit
the market in April, the company's
chief executive said.
Thorsten Heins, speaking during a
Q&A with reporters following the
company's BlackBerry launch today in
New York, said the timing for the Q10
depends on testing. Either way, it
appears the device will hit the market
after the Z10 full touchscreen
smartphone. BlackBerry, which today rebranded
itself from its former Research In
Motion name, launched a completely
redesigned operating system and
hardware that it hopes will convince
users to stick with its platform. The
Canadian company's fall from the top
of the smartphone market has been
swift as Apple's iOS and Google's
Android software become more
popular with consumers.
BlackBerry discussed availability of
the Z10 device during its event today
in New York , but it provided few
details about the Q10. It's likely the
device that business users have been
anticipating the most. Any long
delays for the keyboard device could
hurt BlackBerry's positioning and its
efforts to turn around its business.
The BlackBerry Z10 will hit several
markets by early February, but U.S.
buyers likely can't get the phone
until March. It will retail at all four
major U.S. carriers -- Verizon, AT&T,
Sprint, and T-Mobile -- and will cost
about $200 with a contract.
Unsubsidized, the phone will retail
for $599, BlackBerry said.
U.K. buyers will be able to purchase
the Z10 tomorrow, and it will be
available in Canada on February 5.