RIM to launch BlackBerry Style on CDMA platform in India

BlackBerry maker Research In Motion (RIM) is set to launch its new smartphone BlackBerry Style on the CDMA platform in the Indian market.

"After a successful launch in the US and Canada, we are now launching BlackBerry Style, the new dual-screen phone in the Indian market through CDMA technology," Research In Motion India's Managing Director Frenny Bawa told PTI here today.

BlackBerry Style is the first mobile with both a full- QWERTY keyboard and a flip form factor. This smartphone from BlackBerry also offers dual high-resolution displays, the new BlackBerry 6 operating system.

The BlackBerry Style will be offered through Reliance Communications and Tata Indicom, the CDMA arm of Tata Teleservices, Bawa said, adding the pricing will be announced at the time of the launch.

RIM India has successfully launched devices like BlackBerry Pearl, Curve and then Storm.

"India is an important market for us and our key objective is to bring new products and services in India," Bawa said.

With India's smartphone market expected to grow at 110 per cent in the next three-year period, faster than the global growth rate of 40 per cent, "we have to make sure that the right mix of applications and devices is delivered to fight the smartphone battle", Bawa said.

The company also plans to launch many more applications in the coming years, she said.

Retail distribution has been instrumental in increasing BlackBerry smartphones' presence in India. RIM appointed Redington India as its retail distribution partner for GSM and Brightpoint India for CDMA. While it started with nine cities, today BlackBerry smartphones are available at thousands of customer touchpoints across 70 cities in India.

Commenting on BlackBerry's security stand-off with the Indian government, Bawa said that RIM continues to work closely with the Government and RIM's carrier partners in India work "in accordance with our stated principles".

"We look forward to continue serving our Indian customers with industry leading products and services that deliver an unmatched mobile communications experience," Bawa said.