| Kaddy Chung, Hong Kong; Steve Shen, DigiTimes.com [Tuesday 5 September 2006]
While High Tech Computer (HTC) has begun shipping BlackBerry-enabled mobile phones to UK-based O2, Research in Motion (RIM) still welcomes more Taiwan-based handset makers to cooperate with RIM for the development and production of BlackBerry handsets, according to Norm Lo, vice president for Asia-Pacific at RIM.
The number of worldwide subscribers of BlackBerry-enabled solutions totaled 5.5 million at the end of June of 2006, with about 670,000-700,000 new subscribers to be added in the third quarter, Lo indicated.
With its global market share continuously expanding, RIM is expected to tie up this year with 100 telecom service providers to offer BlackBerry services, in addition to more than 200 current partners in 60 countries, Lo added.
For the Asia-Pacific region, RIM is expected to add within this year, 10 members of service providers to its partner list which currently totals 28, Lo stated.
For the Taiwan market, Taiwan Mobile is expected to start selling two BlackBerry handsets, the 7290 and the 8700g, this month, with their prices to be announced later, according to sources at Taiwan Mobile.
With 70% of its revenues coming from handsets, RIM expects to post revenues of US$620-650 million (US$18.9-19.8 million) in the second quarter of fiscal 2007 (from June-August 2006), compared with US$613 million in the first quarter, Lo said.
Norm Lo, vice president for Asia-Pacific at RIM, holds a BlackBerry handset.
Photo: Kaddy Chung, DigiTimes, September 2006
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