BlackBerry Bold 9900 returns (Updated)

BlackBerry Bold 9900BlackBerry, still known as Research In Motion at the time, announced the BlackBerry Bold 9900 more than three years ago. Powered by BlackBerry 7, it proved to be a very successful device for the company. In what is a very rare occurrence in the competitive world of smartphones, the device is now making a comeback. The company had announced plans to bring back BlackBerry 7 devices earlier this year in response to customer feedback primarily in the enterprise space where the adoption of new technology sometimes moves at a glacial pace.

The iconic BlackBerry Bold 9900 smartphone combines the classic BlackBerry QWERTY keyboard with a brilliant, 24-bit high-res touch screen and precision-based optical trackpad. Purposeful design details meet functionality, with BlackBerry 7 OS and fluid touch screen navigation. The distinctive BlackBerry Bold 9900 delivers incredible performance in one powerful device.

Specifications are unchanged from what they were three years ago:

  • Processor: 1.2GHz dual-core QC 8655
  • Operating system: BlackBerry 7
  • Cellular connectivity: Quad-band GSM and tri-band HSPA+
  • Other connectivity: GPS/aGPS, dual-band 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, NFC
  • Display: 2.8-inch VGA (640×480/287PPI) capacitive touchscreen
  • RAM: 768MB
  • Internal storage: 8GB
  • External storage: MicroSD cards up to 32GB
  • Rear-facing camera: 5MP with 720p HD video recording
  • Front-facing camera: None
  • Battery: 1230mAh
  • Dimensions: 115 x 66 x 10.5 millimeters
  • Weight: 130 grams
  • Colours: Black

It’s unlikely that the BlackBerry Bold 9900 will establish itself as a top-selling smartphone but it will likely prove popular with businesses that are still standardized on BlackBerry 7.

The BlackBerry Bold 9900 is now available for pre-order through ShopBlackBerry both in Canada and the U.S. for $399, the same price as the BlackBerry Q10. Orders will begin shipping on June 18.

Update: A couple of days before pre-orders are set to begin shipping, BlackBerry has bumped the Canadian price of the BlackBerry Bold from CA$399 to CA$430. The three-year old device is now more expensive than the year-old Q10. The U.S. pricing remains unchanged.


Sources : BlackBerry Store (CA) // BlackBerry Store (US) // N4BB