Is RIM trading BlackBerry OS for QNX?
Research In Motion (NASDAQ:RIMM) is sending out mixed signals about whether it will eventually swap out its legacy BlackBerry operating system with software from QNX, which is powering its new PlayBook tablet product. According to multiple reports, an unnamed RIM vice president confirmed at the company’s DevCon event in San Francisco that QNX eventually will form the basis for future BlackBerry smartphones. The executive said there was no timeframe for the switch, but that it will eventually happen. RIM representatives told InformationWeek, however, that the company was unaware of the comments and that it could neither confirm nor deny anything about a switch to QNX software. The possibility of a switch was raised in a Wall Street Journal article last week that correctly tipped the unveiling of the BlackBerry tablet. A RIM spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the situation. RIM purchased QNX Software in April for $200 million; QNX makes software for a wid
