BlackBerry 10 to debut January next year

Embattled Canadian smartphone maker Research in Motion (RIM) has set a firm date for the launch of its new operating system, BlackBerry 10.

The launch event will be held in several countries around the world on January 30 next year, the company said, though it didn't specify which.

Devices and their availability will also be unveiled at the event.

While no specific details on BlackBerry 10 were provided, RIM touted features of the new operating system such as the gesture-based Flow and Hub navigation systems, and self-adapting Keyboard.

It also mentioned the BlackBerry Balance feature that allows users to keep separate work and personal profiles on devices, to cater for users and companies wanting to adopt BYO device strategies.

A best-in-class HTML5 capable web browser , rich application eco system and cutting-edge multimedia capabilities are also being promsed by RIM chief executive Thorsten Heins for BlackBerry 10, which is based on the QNX operating system, and which the company first introduced with the Playbook tablet in 2010.

Devices featuring the new operating system recently received the FIPS 140-2 security certification and are in testing with 50 carriers around the world.

RIM is also providing the BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha device for developers, and promises to pay for apps.

Much is at stake for RIM with the launch BlackBerry 10. The company continues to lose market share as its current range of smartphones is falling out of favour with users who prefer Android-based and Apple devices instead.

The new mobile platform was first called BBX and announced in October last year. In December 2011 RIM had to change the name of it to BlackBerry 10 after a trademark claim from another company.