RIM ditches two phones for 2012

CANADIAN PHONE MAKER Research in Motion (RIM) has cancelled two handsets that it was due to launch in 2012.

According to BGR, the firm has cancelled the Blackberry Colt - which was due to be the first Blackberry 10 device - and the Blackberry 7 device called Milan that was leaked last month.

Apparently mobile operators weren't keen on carrying a Blackberry 7 phone so similar to the Blackberry Torch. This means that the only phone that RIM is working on bringing to market is the Blackberry London, a smartphone with cut-off edges at the bottom but rounded corners at the top. Unlike on today's Blackberry handsets the optical trackpad and physical buttons are gone on the London model, suggesting full touchscreen user interaction apart from the keyboard.

RIM's Blackberry 10 operating system was previously called BBX but Basis International won a lawsuit banning RIM from using the name. Other codenames for future handsets include Lisbon, Black Forest and Nevada, although RIM has not confirmed that it will release these phones.

In mid December, the company delayed the launch of its Blackberry 10 smartphones coincident with reporting disappointing financial results. µ