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RIM CEO answers reader questions about BlackBerry’s future

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BlackBerry World 2012 Thorsten Heins
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Last week, Research in Motion CEO Thorsten Heins wrote an editorial in The Globe and Mail defending BlackBerry’s future and urging customers to wait for BlackBerry 10 and not abandon RIM. The newspaper had more than 200 responses to the article and sent a few of them back to Heins. Below are a few abridged excerpts of Heins answers to questions from readers. Note that these questions likely come from some of the most devout of BlackBerry fans. RIM is a Canadian company as is The Globe and Mail.

Will BB 10 still be competitive when it’s finally released in early 2013?

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Heins: “BlackBerry 10 is more than just a new smartphone. It’s an entirely new way of thinking about BlackBerry – new software powering new devices and new services. While our competitors update their offerings, BlackBerry 10 will be the only mobile platform built from the ground up with the latest technologies in mind – whether it’s mobile video chat or near-field communications that enable you to use your handset like a wallet….mobile technology is a fast-paced industry and a large portion of the world relies on our innovation to stay connected. That’s why we chose the difficult path of developing BlackBerry 10: to provide a robust, reliable new way to interact with the world around you. Clearly, a project of this magnitude is not easy, but we believe the potential of BlackBerry 10 is worth the effort.”

What is the reason for the BlackBerry 10 delay?

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Heins: “….The goal of BlackBerry 10 is to bring some of the best technologies in the world together in a seamless environment. Simply put, I could still see some of the seams….We decided to delay the launch of BlackBerry 10 to give us ample time to integrate software, test, and polish the final product.”

Will we actually see BB 10 in spring or will it be delayed again?

Heins: “I am absolutely committed to this timeline….I made the decision to give our teams more time on BlackBerry 10 because I believe we must deliver an experience that is nothing short of exceptional to our users. The successful launch of BlackBerry 10 and the delivery of high-quality BlackBerry 10 devices remains the company’s top priority.”

There are a ton more questions and answers at The Globe and Mail site, and it’s worth a read if you’re interested in BlackBerry’s future. It’s rare that a CEO interacts this directly to the public. Heins must understand the pressure he is now under to deliver the goods.

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