RIM release Curve 9220 in India, targeting budget market

The struggling Research In Motion have released a new Blackberry in India, targeting the budget oriented audience. They hope that the new phone will help raise revenue for them in this growing market.

The Curve 9220 is nothing special when compared against a raft of smartphones in the Western market. It features a dedicated button on the side of the chassis to allow users to chat over BlackBerry Messenger and it also includes a built in FM radio, already widely available on many competing phones from companies such as Nokia.

The Curve 9220 only supports 2G networks and features an entry level mobile camera, but the price is the main selling point.

RIM's global sales boss Patrick Spence said in a telephone interview “We're really trying to build on and help those people who are moving from feature phone to smartphone. We believe we can be successful in that.”

RIM are said to give a better experience to budget users on a slower connection than the equivalent Android handset. They plan on launching the 9920 in other markets, outside India over the coming months. They also plan to target Indonesia in the next couple of weeks.

Blackberry is still selling well in Britain and Canada, as both markets account for 68 percent of their total revenue in Q4.

Kitguru says: The Curve smartphone will sell in India for $210, with the same price carrying over into Indonesia.

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