Launch of Blackberry Storm in Hong Kong (File photo)
SAN FRANCISCO, 5 MAY 2009 - Research In Motion (RIM) will debut an upgraded BlackBerry Storm in September, SlashGear is reporting. According to "a source very close to the issue," the Storm 2 will support Wi-Fi-a significant omission in the first-generation Storm, which debuted last fall on Verizon Wireless.
The report offers few Storm 2 details, but it's likely that RIM will upgrade the Storm's much-maligned SurePress click screen, which many reviewers reported was sluggish and awkward to use. Since the Storm is RIM's answer to the iPhone, a mediocre interface would likely be the first issue to address.
Recent rumors say the Storm 2 will also include a 5-megapixel camera, an upgraded display, and a screen keyboard that's easier to type on. A slide-out keyboard? Probably not. If Blackberry fans want a physical keyboard, they already have plenty of worthy options, including the Curve and the Pearl.
Despite its shortcomings, the Storm has proven very popular. It was the third best selling consumer smart phone in the U.S. last quarter, according to market research firm The NPD Group.
RIM seems to be making all the right moves now. The Storm's sibling, the more traditional Curve, bumped the iPhone out of the top spot to become America's most popular smart phone in Q1 2009.
