Looks like RIM is going way down south, to South America. In a recent interview RIM’s Co-Chief Exec Jim Balsillie told Reuters that the company would start producing BlackBerry devices in Brazil. RIM will produce the Curve 8520 model in the country, thanks to a deal signed with Flextronics, out of Singapore.
I have to tip the cap at RIM for this move. Brazil has the largest economy in Latin America, and for some time now I’ve wondered when they were going to get into the market… and with what device. Now I know, they’re hitting Brazil with the BlackBerry Curve 8520… a move that RIM has no doubt ran the numbers on, figuring it will work out in their favor. Kind of makes sense to me. Hit a new market with more of a ‘base’ or ‘entry level’ device… You know, affordable, not overwhelming, solid… Then slowly increase your offering to include more deluxe models, including the Bold and Storm series. RIM has noted they are open to offering other models in the future, I suppose the success of the 8520 will be the litmus test for expansion.
Of course, no launch dates, pricing or carrier details have been released as of yet. But stay tuned, I know we’ll hear more about RIM’s entry into the Brazilian market real soon.
[Via: MoneyControl]