RIM BlackBerry Thunder – Verizon BlackBerry 9530 in October 13?

The BlackBerry (NSDQ: RIMM) franchise is set to take things to a new level with the release of Waterloo’s BlackBerry Bold 9000. With a 3G data connection and a beautifully high-resolution display, the BlackBerry Bold 9000 is the first in a new wave of BlackBerry devices that both satisfy the business-user’s needs while serving up a fully loaded feature-set.

But, it doesn’t end there. RIM is set to take on Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) and the iPhone 3G with their own touchscreen-based smartphone – the BlackBerry Thunder. The iPhone 3G’s new enterprise aspirations put it spot in the middle of RIM’s business niche radar. The enterprise market that RIM has essentially dominated in the US is now under attack from the sleek new wares from Cupertino, and RIM isn’t about to sit back and watch Apple encroach on their turf.

Last we heard, the 3G-enabled BlackBerry Thunder was undergoing additional development to iron out the touch-based UI’s kinks and baubles. And, all those development resources that were poured in to the BlackBerry Thunder may have just paid off. We’re hearing that Verizon (NYSE: VZ) already has a formal model name for the BlackBerry Thunder in their inventory system.

The BlackBerry Thunder has apparently been spotted in Verizon’s inventory system as the BlackBerry 9530, and is expected for an October 13 release. The October 13 release date misses the previously speculated Q3 2008 launch window just slightly.

Staying true to RIM’s naming conventions, the “30″ tacked on to the end of the BlackBerry 9530’s model name signifies that the handset does indeed carry CDMA guts. The BlackBerry Thunder has been previously referred to as the BlackBerry Thunder 9500, so the BlackBerry 9530 moniker does make sense.

Interestingly, RIM is also expected to keep the BlackBerry Thunder 9530 as a Verizon exclusive in the US. Perhaps in response to Verizon’s ongoing lack of a suitable iPhone 3G alternative, Verizon may have wrangled an exclusivity deal from Waterloo. Despite claims that Verizon isn’t worried about the iPhone and iPhone 3G, Big Red’s higher-ups must still be feeling bitter at having shunned Steve Jobs’ initial offer to bring the  iPhone to Verizon’s network.

[Via: BGR]