Optus today announced it will be the first mobile phone carrier to offer the BlackBerry Bold 9900 and BlackBerry Torch 9860 smartphones in Australia.
The new smartphones will be available from early September via Optus' online and retail stores. Both phones run on the latest BlackBerry 7 OS and come with 1.2 GHz processors.
The BlackBerry Bold 9900 and BlackBerry Torch 9860 attempt to appeal to consumers and business users alike, with entertainment apps, social networking features and a larger touch screen joining the usual suite of security and email services. The new models also come with 'Liquid Graphics', a patented technology that allegedly provides smoother and faster touch-based navigation.
Both smartphones come with BlackBerry Protect on board, which allows users to remotely lock, locate and wipe their device to ensure information isn't stolen.
“We’re excited that Optus customers will be among the first in the world to get their hands on these fantastic BlackBerry smartphones featuring the new BlackBerry 7 Operating System,” Austin Bryan, Director, Optus Digital Media stated in a press release.
“...The enhancements in the BlackBerry 7 OS, as well as the impressive level of social networking integration across both smartphones, allow Optus BlackBerry users to strike the ideal balance between work and play.”
BlackBerry Torch 9860
The successor to the Blackberry Torch 9800, the BlackBerry Torch 9860, was only announced yesterday. It is a full touch smartphone with a spacious 3.7 inch display; the biggest of any BlackBerry yet. In addition to RIM's usual software tools, highlights include a 5MP camera, GPS navigation and 720p HD video recording.
BlackBerry Bold 9900
The BlackBerry Bold 9900 is the more traditional-looking BlackBerry of the two. It boasts a QWERTY keyboard and a 2.8in touch screen. At just 10.5mm thick, it is currently the slimmest BlackBerry on the market, although several Android handsets are notable thinner, including the Samsung Galaxy S II.
It also comes with support for augmented reality, which overlays useful information on what the user sees through the phone's camera viewfinder. Like the Torch 9800, it comes with a 5MP camera and HD video recording, as well as 8GB of inbuilt memory.
For more information on the new phones, including pricing plans, visit Optus' BlackBerry product page.
