Financially results for RIM are good though many wonder if devices for pre-3G world will make sense in the new 4G (and iPad/Android) world. Fourth quarter shipments were below forecast for RIM so it may have started.
By MARTIN PEERS
The wireless industry may be preparing for a transition to 4G. But Research In Motion is living the high life in a pre-3G world.
Associated Press
A BlackBerry Storm2 smartphone
RIM reported Wednesday evening that a big seller in its strong fourth quarter was its BlackBerry Curve 8520. That's a low-cost device which runs on what the industry quaintly calls 2.5G networks, a step up from the relative snail's-pace of 2G but well short of 3G speeds.
The device's popularity makes sense. RIM has 3G devices, such as the Bold, which it said sold well in the quarter. Still, it is no secret that BlackBerrys aren't ideal for surfing the Web, regardless of speed. BlackBerry was designed for email, where the connection speed isn't important.
And plenty of people want simple devices. Indeed, RIM appears to be doing particularly well overseas: Revenue outside of North America accounted for 48% of the quarterly total, compared with 29% in fiscal 2009 full-year.
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