RIM shares fall after news of BlackBerry delays

Shares in RIM have taken another knock, with the announcement that its launch of QNX-infused smartphones is to be delayed.

Back in August, TechRadar reported that there may be a massive delay in QNX smartphones coming to market - and now it seems that this is indeed the case.

The delay has prompted a number of analysts to question the sustainability of RIM as a company, with the financial outlook for the company looking nothing less than gloomy.

"RIM confirmed the BlackBerry 10 smartphones will be delayed until the latter part of calendar 2012. This could be game over for the BlackBerry franchise," explained analysts at Canadian brokerage National Bank Financial to their clients.

Share fall

RIM's shares have lost nearly half their value in the last three months and on Friday of last week shares fell by 11.2 per cent to $13.44.

Before the delay, there was high hopes for the eventual launch of QNX-based BlackBerry handsets.

The new phone OS is based on BlackBerry 10 and allows devs the flexibility to create just one app for BlackBerry which can be used on both operating systems.

Given that the handsets will now not be available until well into the second half of the year, however, the OS may well be outdated before it is even released.

Via Reuters