By Kim Yoo-chul
Staff Reporter
Canada-based Research In Motion (RIM), the BlackBerry smartphone maker, is hoping to find new business momentum in Korea with the advanced BlackBerry.
RIM, which has failed to yield any significant results here since its first launch of the BlackBerry Bold 9000 in December 2008 due to limited and unattractive specifications, is now aiming to attract consumers by offering mobile application-enabled new models.
But it remains uncertain whether RIM will be able to increase its presence in Korea's smartphone sector, in which Apple leads the way, followed by Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics.
"Korea is a graveyard for foreign handset markers. Motorola's Motoroi has just sold some 30,000 units over the last few months and the situation won't be much different, even for RIM," Han Eun-mi, an analyst at a local brokerage of Hi Investment said.
"RIM's strategy is still heavily linked to its corporate clients. The maker will prepare more consumer-oriented strategies to gain a beachhead in Korea," according to the analyst.
Dampened by such pessimistic views, senior executives of the company were mum over detailed marketing strategies, when asked by reporters at a launch show in Seoul, Wednesday.
They also declined to give any updated financial details, citing the sensitivity over the issue. The former BlackBerry Bold 9000 sold around 20,000 units, industry sources say.
SK Telecom, the nation's top mobile carrier, will be an exclusive partner to sell RIM's brand-new BlackBerry Bold 9700 handsets for Korean sales.
With its smaller and lighter design the BlackBerry Bold 9700 features 3G support, a 624 MHz processor, 256 MB Flash memory, built-in GPS and Wi-Fi and a 3.2 megapixel camera.
The handset measures 109mm x 60mm x 14.1mm and weighs 122 grams. It offers a 2.44-inch light-sensing display, full QWERTY keyboard and a touch-sensitive track-pad, RIM's South Korean branch said in a press release.
RIM also introduced its mobile application store dubbed "App World," and is comparable to Apple's App Store. BlackBerry users could download mobile applications via Wi-Fi and 3G networks without extra charges.
On the device, users could access the store via `mobile.blackberry.com.' On desktops and notebooks, `blackberry.com/appworld' is the key to use some 10 applications, it said.