Battery issues could delay the launch of the much anticipated RIM PlayBook according to Kaufman Bros. analyst, Shaw Wu. His sources indicate that the tablet currently lasts “just a few hours per charge”, compared to six for the Samsung Galaxy Tab and 10 for the Apple iPad.
“From our understanding, this [is] likely why RIMM pushed out its launch to the May 2011 quarter,” Wu writes. “Keep in mind that QNX (the OS on which PlayBook runs) wasn’t originally designed for mobile environments but rather for devices like network equipment and automobiles where battery life isn’t as much a constraint.”
It’s not clear at this point whether RIM is looking at re-engineering the tablet or using a heavier battery.
Wu also expects that RIM will sell only about 700,000 PlayBooks in 2011 (other analysts have predicted sales up to 8 million). Aside from the potential battery limitations, Wu feels that the BlackBerry App World’s limited number of apps will also hinder its adoption.