BlackBerry Torch 2 Gets A Specs Boost

RIM’s BlackBerry Torch 2 will be twice as powerful as the original Torch and boast a much higher screen resolution, reports have revealed.

According to Boy Genius Report (BGR), who first published the BlackBerry Torch 2’s photo on the web, the smartphone will feature the same appearance as the original model except for a matte silver finish.

Internally, however, the new Torch has seen a major specifications bump, sporting a 1.2 GHz processor – which substantially doubles the old Torch’s power of 624 MHz – along with  768MB of RAM (up from 512M rumoured in January), 8GB of Flash memory with microSD support, and an upgraded 3.2-inch touchscreen display with a resolution of 640 x 480 pixel.

Poised for a probable May launch at the BlackBerry World conference, “the BlackBerry Torch 2 is tracking for a July release,” said BGR, describing the forthcoming model as “what the original Torch should have been”.

BlackBerry OS 6.1 on the Torch 2

The Torch 2 will be among the first smartphones to run RIM’s upcoming BlackBerry OS 6.1, which focuses on cloud-based services such as remote back-ups and the abilities to share contact information and restore devices. However, users may be required to log into the system with a BlackBerry ID.

Besides the latest operating system, the handset will also sport Near Field Communication (NFC) technology, a short range high frequency wireless communication system that transforms the device into ‘a digital wallet’.

As thin as 14.6mm, RIM’s BlackBerry Torch 2 will come with 8GB of internal storage – expandable via a micro SD card slot – a 5-megapixel camera with flash, and Wi-fi, GPS as well as 3G capability.

BlackBerry challenged by iPhone, Android

Apart from the BlackBerry Torch 2, Research In Motion is also expected to unveil next month the BlackBerry Touch, the BlackBerry Bold Touch and the BlackBerry Curve Touch.

Having started as the strongest smartphone in the market – before Apple turned smartphones into a consumer item – RIM been overtaken by the iPhone and Android.  Technology giant Apple is reportedly planning to release the iPhone 5 later in 2011, although rumours have spread that the company will delay the gadget’s June launch.

Despite good reviews which ranked the Torch with the iPhone,  sales were disappointing, even though the Torch was priced at a level where RIM was making a loss on the phone, according to a component breakdown.

Research firm IDC has predicted that the worldwide smartphone market will grow by nearly 50 percent this year, with vendors shipping around 450 million units worldwide, with Google’s Android operating system tipped to be the leading platform, commanding 40 percent of the global OS market share and climbing to 45.4 percent by 2015.