Rumor: 4G BlackBerry still too early to ship

RIM might not have a 4G-capable BlackBerry for some time, a rumor alleged on Monday. The project is still considered early and not yet cost effective enough to be worth a release in the near future. Among the concerns Fudzilla has reportedly heard are that LTE chipsets are currently too power hungry, that they're too expensive, and that coverage isn't wide enough.

A device could still ship by the end of the year and might get pre-release attention from RIM as soon as the summer, but what this would be wasn't mentioned. The Monaco, a full-touch phone, and the Onyx II, a sequel to the Bold 9780, would still be 3G hardware. The company has hinted that PlayBook may get 4G through a follow-up model.


Verizon has mentioned RIM as one of the companies that would have a device for its LTE-based 4G network, but it hasn't said when that would happen or with what devices. Phones and tablets shipping by mid-2011 are more likely to be Android-based.

The rumor hasn't been corroborated and may not necessarily be accurate. RIM hasn't offered comment. However, it lines up with the hesitance most phone makers have had around adopting LTE early on, since the only devices known to be launching are very large smartphones like the HTC Thunderbolt that can be paired with a large battery. Many have suggested that Apple might use LTE for a Verizon iPhone, but this is considered doubtful both due to leaks and to the demands a current 4G chipset would put on a noticeably smaller device.

source