RIM touts new multimedia experiences with BlackBerry 6.0

With its BlackBerry 6.0 mobile operating system expected to launch in the third quarter, Research In Motion (NASDAQ:RIMM [1]) unveiled a series of new multimedia enhancements, promising consumers a more intuitive experience right out of the box. Among the new features: Improved music discovery via interactive carousel, album art, multiple options for viewing and organizing photos, expanded video streaming, sharing and search tools, new camera controls and supported scene modes, and a new preloaded podcast application. Alongside continued support for iTunes and Windows Media Player music sync as well as two-way photo sync, BlackBerry 6.0 also enables user to sync videos to and from BlackBerry smartphones (handset to PC, and vice versa). The expanded OS also boasts new music sync options giving users the flexibility to sync according to individual artists or genres.

Speaking on RIM's fiscal Q1 earnings call in late June, co-CEO Jim Balsillie said the BlackBerry OS 6.0 update heralds a "quantum leap" for the smartphone market. Balsillie said the firm will introduce two new products either late in the current quarter or early in Q3, stating the new devices will drive growth and boost BlackBerry's competitive standing in the North American marketplace. "I just wish I could wind the clock forward a few weeks," Balsillie said. "I couldn't feel better."

Specifics on BlackBerry OS 6.0 remain scarce, but at the manufacturer's Wireless Enterprise Symposium this spring, RIM co-CEO Mike Lazaridis trumpeted enhancements including an improved WebKit-based browser, a customizable homescreen and a revamped media player. "We're trying to update the UI and fix the stuff that people wanted us to fix," Lazaridis said, adding that BlackBerry OS 6.0 will extend to both trackpad and touchscreen devices.

For more on BlackBerry 6.0's new multimedia features:
- read this Official BlackBerry Blog entry [2]

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