A tech blog that follows BlackBerry closely says it has obtained the company’s entire phone line-up for 2013, as reports swirl of further layoffs at the struggling Waterloo, Ont.-based company.
BGR has published what it says are BlackBerry’s only two planned phones for the rest of the year: The BlackBerry A10, which will feature a very large, five-inch screen, and the 9720, a new version of the popular 9700 phone that features a QWERTY keyboard.
Photos of the 9720 apparently first popped up two days ago on a Thai website devoted to the BlackBerry. The blog reportedly indicated the phone will be targeted at emerging markets.
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BlackBerry 9720 Leaked Photos
BGR says the A10 “is going to be positioned as the most powerful, capable BlackBerry yet with a big focus on power and gaming.” Its large screen appears to make it a direct competitor to Samsung’s Galaxy S line of phones, known for their large screens.
Check out pictures of the A10 at BGR.
The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday that BlackBerry is planning further layoffs, on top of the 5,000 people laid off last year. The latest restructuring round will hit middle management in the sales and support divisions, “people familiar with the matter” told the newspaper.
BlackBerry shares fell below $10 on Thursday following the company’s annual meeting Wednesday, where CEO Thorsten Heins urged shareholders to be patient as the company works to regain market share.
The company's stock was down more than four per cent, or 45 cents, at $9.75 on the Toronto Stock Exchange near midday. The last time BlackBerry shares closed below $10 was on Nov. 20, and its stock reached a 52-week high of $17.80 in January around the time it launched its new smartphones.
The company’s latest quarterly results, released last month, disappointed analysts as the company swung to an $84-million loss.
— With files from The Canadian Press