Has RIM really stopped production of the 10″ Playbook tablet?

Research In Motion haven't had the smoothest of launches after pumping millions of dollars of research and development into their Playbook tablet. Rumours have been circulating that they have actually decided to cancel production of the new tablet.

It seems that any company targeting the iPad is finding it tough to get any marketshare at all. Almost every news site has tackled the reasons why Apple are dominating, but the overwhelming feeling is that ‘it just works'. Without any hint of bias, we do have to agree. iOS is so smooth and has been designed from the ground up to work exceptionally well on smartphones and tablets.

RIM were off to a bad start, when reviews of the Playbook said that the operating system had many problems, and seemed unfinished. Shortly afterwards they had to recall some units due to operating system issues.

According to insider reports, sales have been poor and the public haven't shown much of an interest in adopting a new platform, instead buying the iPad 2 by the bucketload. Some sources have told Kitguru that there are indeed major issues for the Playbook, but n4bb have issued an article saying that development of the tablet has in fact been cancelled.

I called one of my sources in the mobile industry last night to get confirmation and I was told that he had heard no such thing, although he did indicate that RIM are not happy at all with the reception and press response to the tablet from day one. That said, just because I got a denial, doesn't mean it hasn't happened, and although n4bb haven't confirmed their source it would actually make sense for RIM to focus elsewhere.

The website is alleging that RIM have cancelled the 10 inch Playbook to focus instead on the new QNX powered BlackBerry ‘superphone' which has a single core 1.2ghz processor, but that RIM might contemplate a dual core version depending on battery tests. It also has a 4.3 inch touchscreen with 900+ screen resolution.

They also add that RIM are going to push the LTE 4G Playbook which is scheduled for release in October 2011.

Kitguru says: Can anyone really take on Apple in the tablet sector? How long before we get a real challenger?

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