Leaked images online reveal that RIM is gearing up to unveil a 4G LTE BlackBerry PlayBook tablet for release on July 31st. It’ll supposedly launch on Bell with the possibility of a few other Canadian carriers, but the 4G PlayBook here in the United States is looking like a no-go at the moment.
MobileSyrup got the scoop from a friendly tipster with a classified internal document from Bell. The tablet should retail for $549.95 with some pretty average specifications: a 7-inch display with 1024×600 resolution, a dual-core 1.5GHz processor, 1GB of RAM, a 5MP camera on the back capable of 1080p HD video recording, a 3MP camera on the front, BlackBerry OS 2.0, and of course the 4G LTE and HSPA+. RIM put the 16GB PlayBook to rest at the beginning of June, so this model will come in a 32GB flavor only.
Instead of taking the giant leaps RIM should be taking as it heads into oblivion, the company is still taking baby steps. 4G LTE is nice, but if the PlayBook wasn’t selling well, 4G LTE won’t do much to boost sales. RIM seems to still be banking on what brought it success years ago, but what is dreadfully failing presently.
RIM first announced plans for a 4G BlackBerry PlayBook at Mobile World Congress in 2011. Sprint was supposed to pick it up and pair it with its WiMAX network, but RIM crushed that idea in favor of LTE. While it’s finally becoming a reality, your best bet for a 7-inch tablet is the Nexus 7.