BlackBerry Colt BBX Smartphone Leaked Ahead of Launch

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Last week BlackBerry made official its upcoming smartphone mobile platform that will replace its current BlackBerry OS version. BBX, another name for QNX  (which is the platform used for the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet) will power future RIM devices, including the upcoming Colt, expected to be the first smartphone of the company to run the new software.

As expected, the device was leaked well ahead of launch and we now have what looks to be an rendered image of a touchscreen-only device running RIM’s latest smartphone and tablet platform. The picture below is supposed to be “remarkable similar in the least” to the upcoming Colt. And here’s a list of specs and features for the device:

• Single-core 1.2GHz processor (same as Bold 9900) was initially used in first testing phase, but a dual-core processor is in the works and currently in working prototypes
• 900+ screen resolution (could be same as PlayBook for easy transition of apps)
• 4.x″ touchscreen
• Thinner than the Bold 9900, 9930
• Similar outer stainless steel bezel unibody as the Bold 9900, 9930
• TAT transitions coupled in BBX (see demo of it here)
• Similar battery as PlayBook (no more battery pulls!)
• No physical buttons
• All swipe inner bezel
• Front and back facing cameras, with enhanced flash and focus

The phone is expected to launch by mid 2012, but there’s nothing official just yet. The Colt will be joined by other models that will run BBX out of the box, and I bet we’re going to see them well ahead of launch in a number of leaks, which is what happened with most, if not all BlackBerry handsets that were launched this year.

RIM has been suffering lately, not only because its major three-day BlackBerry service outage crippled millions of smartphones across at least four continents, but also because the competition has launched a number of stellar device which may chew away at RIM’s existing customer base. These include iOS, Android and Windows Phone device which have been recently launched or are planned to hit stores by the end of the year. And the BlackBerry Bold 9900, the company’s current flagship handset, may not have what it takes to prevent current BlackBerry owners from moving to another platform.

Are you planning to buy a BlackBerry smartphone this year?