It's definitely been a long, leak-filled ride, but today AT&T and RIM teamed up to announce three new BlackBerry smartphones. The first of the pack is the 4G BlackBerry Torch 9810, which will be hitting AT&T's shelves this month for an unspecified price. Specs for the 9810 include a 3.2-inch 480x640 touchscreen, 1.2GHz processor, 5-megapixel camera with 720p HD video capture, 8GB of built-in storage, 768MB RAM, AT&T HSPA+ connectivity (delivered with enhanced backhaul), and the BlackBerry 7 operating system.
AT&T also said that it plans to launch both the 4G BlackBerry Bold 9900 and the 4G BlackBerry Touch 9860 later this year. Both devices will run on AT&T's HSPA+ network.
So there you have it, BlackBerry fanatics. It's pretty exciting to see this trio of new 'Berrys heading to AT&T, even if we've known about the devices for the better part of 2011. And while we'd definitely like a peek at some of those QNX-powered smartphones that RIM's talked up once before, these new BlackBerry 7 handsets should do the trick for now considering how long it's been since we've seen a new smartphone from the folks in Waterloo hit AT&T. So now that it's nice and official, what do you all think of the Torch 9810?
AT&T ANNOUNCES 4G BLACKBERRY PORTFOLIO
Exclusive 4G BlackBerry Torch 9810 to Precede 4G BlackBerry Bold 9900 and New, 4G, All-touch BlackBerry Torch 9860
DALLAS, Aug. 3, 2011 —
AT&T* today outlined plans for its future portfolio of 4G BlackBerry smartphones including the exclusive 4G BlackBerry® Torch™ 9810, planned to be launched in August.Also planned for 2011, AT&T customers will have the opportunity to select the 4G BlackBerry® Bold™ 9900 and the 4G, all-touch, BlackBerry® Torch™ 9860. AT&T’s premium BlackBerry lineup will be capable of speeds up to nearly four times the network speed capability of previous models, so you can talk and surf even faster on the nation’s fastest mobile broadband network.
4G BlackBerry Torch 9810
Exclusive to AT&T customers, the next-generation 4G BlackBerry Torch 9810 is faster and more fluid with high performance hardware features and the new BlackBerry® 7 OS delivering an enhanced multimedia experience. It features the signature BlackBerry QWERTY keyboard that easily slides out to allow fast typing and a full touch screen display, and delivers high-speed 4G capabilities. The 4G BlackBerry Torch 9810 is planned to be available in August.
The new 4G BlackBerry Torch 9810 smartphone boasts significant hardware improvements including a 1.2GHz processor, 5-megapixel camera with HD 720p video recording, 8 gigabytes of onboard storage and a high resolution, 3.2-inch touch display powered by BlackBerry Liquid Graphics™ technology to deliver an incredibly fast, smooth and responsive visual experience.
A powerful evolution of the BlackBerry software, BlackBerry 7 OS delivers speed, efficiency and UI enhancements and enables new hardware capabilities, including HD video recording, more fluid and responsive graphics, digital compass, and augmented reality. Browsing with the new BlackBerry 7 based smartphones is up to 40% faster than BlackBerry® 6 based smartphones and up to 100% faster than BlackBerry® 5 based smartphones**.
AT&T BlackBerry Smartphone Portfolio
In addition to the 4G BlackBerry Torch 9810, AT&T plans to also add even more 4G-capable versions of BlackBerry smartphones to its portfolio later this year including the 4G BlackBerry Bold 9900 and the 4G, all-touch BlackBerry Torch 9860, which will be AT&T’s first all-touch BlackBerry smartphone.
“BlackBerry customers are passionate about their smartphones – and they know to come to AT&T for the best choice,” said Jeff Bradley, senior vice president, Devices, AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets. “From being the first carrier to offer the BlackBerry solution in 1999 to the broadest lineup of 4G-capable BlackBerry smartphones this year, we’ll continue to offer our customers the leading BlackBerry portfolio in the U.S.”
*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.
** Requires BlackBerry 7 OS. Testing was performed by RIM in July 2011 and measured average page load speeds using pre-release BlackBerry 7 software.
4G speeds delivered by HSPA+ with enhanced backhaul. Available in limited areas. Availability increasing with ongoing backhaul deployment. Requires 4G device. Learn more at att.com/network.
Important Information: Limited-time offer. Mobile broadband coverage and other coverage not available in all areas. See coverage map at store for details. Two year agreement with qualifying voice plan and a minimum $15 a month smartphone data plan required. Subscriber must live and have a mailing address within AT&T's owned wireless network coverage area. Up to $36 activation fee applies. Equipment price and availability may vary by market and may not be available from independent retailers. Early Termination Fee: None if cancelled in the first 30 days, but up to $35 restocking fee may apply to returns; thereafter up to $325. Some agents impose additional fees. Other conditions and restrictions apply. See contract for details. Sales tax calculated based on price of unactivated equipment.
AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is a premier communications holding company. Its subsidiaries and affiliates – AT&T operating companies – are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. With a powerful array of network resources that includes the nation’s fastest mobile broadband network, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet, voice and cloud-based services. A leader in mobile broadband and emerging 4G capabilities, AT&T also offers the best wireless coverage worldwide of any U.S. carrier, offering the most wireless phones that work in the most countries. It also offers advanced TV services under the AT&T U-verse® and AT&T ¦DIRECTV brands. The company’s suite of IP-based business communications services is one of the most advanced in the world. In domestic markets, AT&T Advertising Solutions and AT&T Interactive are known for their leadership in local search and advertising.
Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at http://www.att.com. This AT&T news release and other announcements are available at http://www.att.com/newsroom and as part of an RSS feed at www.att.com/rss. Or follow our news on Twitter at @ATT.
