RIM Announces New BlackBerry 10 Phones Release Date, Renames Company "BlackBerry"

Today, Research in Motion (RIM) unveiled its much anticipated BlackBerry 10 phone and operating system at a media event in New York. In addition, CEO of Research in Motion, Thorsten Heins, announced that the company would be changing its name from Research in Motion to BlackBerry, to align the company name with its iconic smartphone brand.

BlackBerry is slated to release six BlackBerry 10 powered handsets in 2013. The first two of these phones being released are the BlackBerry Z10 and the BlackBerry Q10. The BlackBerry Z10 is a touchscreen device that features a 4.2" HD display, while the BlackBerry Q10 will feature BlackBerry's trademark physical QWERTY keyboard. The Z10 and Q10 handsets will launch as soon as next week in Canada and the UK, while customers in the United States will have to wait until March. The BlackBerry Z10 and BlackBerry Q10 will initially be available on Verizon Wireless and Sprint. While pricing information is still largely unknown, Verizon has indicated that it will sell the BlackBerry Z10 for $199.99 with a two-year contract.

People looking to compare BlackBerry phones including the currently available handsets, as well as the new handsets when they are released, can do so using the MyRatePlan cell phone comparison tool.

Update: The BlackBerry Z10 for AT&T has been released.