Though the official announcement hasn't been made yet, it's a given that Verizon is launching the Storm 2.  We've seen countless reviews across the internet, complete with Verizon branding, and various rumors point to a late October or November launch.  Despite the lack of an official upgrade program for original Storm owners, RIM and Verizon aren't leaving you in the dark.

According to information obtained by Phone Arena, Verizon and RIM plan to offer the OS 5.0 software build that the Storm 2 has for the original Storm.  Though the hardware is different, OS 5.0 improvements like threaded text messaging, flick scrolling, and tabbed browsing will all be available for the original device.  So, while the Storm 2 will offer improved SurePress technology, new buttons, and Wi-Fi, the software will be functionally identical across the board.  Most running OS 5.0 on their original Storm devices (it's widely available online, Google it) have said that the improvement is drastic.  With that in mind, is the upgrade really worth it?

Source: PhoneArena
(Image courtesy of BlackBerry Cool)