Just the other week we reported that HTC is looking to get back into the Facebook phone game. It might be a good idea to hurry up, if so, as RIM looks set to hoover up da yoof market with a new socially-connected phone of its own. This is the BlackBerry Curve 9320; is it cheap and cheerful enough to turn things around for RIM?
The specs sheet for the BlackBerry Curve 9320 leaves a bit to be desired when you compare it with what’s going on at the top end of the smartphone market, but we can forgive it, seeing as it’s going to be selling for a song. Three has just confirmed that it’ll be stocking the 9320 for £139.99, putting it slap-bang at the bottom end of the ladder.
What do you get for that? A phone stocked with BlackBerry 7.1 OS, a lengthy battery life topping out at 7 hours’ talk time, a dedicated BBM button and integration between the instant messaging service and social networks like Facebook and Twitter. “The new BlackBerry Curve 9320 will be especially popular with customers upgrading to a smartphone for the first time,” says RIM’s smartphone EVP Carlo Chiarello.
Thing is, you’ve got to question how wise a purchase this is. While its budget credentials will probably appeal to people without much in the way of bleeding-edge needs, the fact that the BB10 OS is just around the corner, and that the 9320 probably won’t get an upgrade, means it’s not exactly a future-proof buy.
