RIM To Launch New PlayBook Tablet Next Week in Canada

The financially troubled Research In Motion next week will release in Canada a PlayBook tablet that provides support for cellular networks and several popular features.

The new tablets will be launched in the company’s home nation on Aug. 9. The 4G LTE, 32-gigabyte device also will be offered in “coming months” in the United States, Europe, South Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, according to Reuters.

It is the first RIM tablet that supports 4G, according to a report, Featuring a 7-inch display, front- and rear-HD video cameras and stereo speakers, the new version allows users to connect to the Internet, access email, on-line apps, media and content, the company said, and is speedy than earlier versions.

The first Playbook from RIM has not done well and failed to include many popular features. RIM’s first Playbook did even feature email – to the disappointment of many users. Demand has been disappointing too. The company shipped 250,000 PlayBooks during Q1 2012, which is half compared to what was shipped during the same period last year, The Times said. RIM is still “committed” to tablets – even with lackluster sales – The Wall Street Journal said.

The new PlayBook tablet will be available from Bell, Rogers and TELUS in Canada, according to a report on MobilityTechzone.

Meanwhile, RIM still is struggling as it fights its rivals for market share, MobilityTechzone added. RIM saw its market share in the United States fall from 44 percent in 2009 to just 10 percent in 2011, the AP reported. Apple, Samsung and HTC are among its top rivals in market share.

RIM’s “turnaround” hinges on the success of the BlackBerry 10, which won’t be released until 2013. The 1Q loss totaled $518 million, according to a company statement. An additional 5,000 employees will soon lose their jobs, according to TechZone360.

In other recent news, The Toronto Star reported that RIM may close some of its company-owned North American retail stores. Details about 3,000 layoffs may soon be released, the newspaper added.

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