3G-capable BlackBerry Curve 9320, to arrive in June

RIM has announced a new BlackBerry phone – the Curve 9320, an entry-level device with 3G capabilities and BlackBerry OS 7.1, which according to the latest reports, is expected to arrive in India sometime in June. Pricing is as of yet unknown, but it is expected to be anywhere between Rs. 12,000 and Rs. 14,000, looking at where it would fit in the BlackBerry lineup.

The BlackBerry Curve 9320, first spotted in early March, is essentially the 3G-variant (7.2Mbps down, 5.76Mbps up) of the recently launched Curve 9220 (read our review), and shares most of its features, apart from a larger 3.15MP camera (compared to the 9220’s 2MP offering), with flash and image stabilization, as well as the GPS connectivity sorely-lacking in the 9220.

Common specifications include a 2.44-inch 320x240 pixel display, 512MB of RAM, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n connectivity, stereo FM radio, 512MB of ROM, microSD card slot support up to 32GB, and a 1450 mAh battery, which is rated to deliver up to 7 hours of talk-time, and 30 hours of continuous FM radio playback. The Curve 9320 should also arrive in the same range of colours as the 9220.

Of course, like the Curve 9220, the Curve 9320 will come with the new dedicated BBM-button, for one-click access to the platform’s many integrated features. RIM has also added Parental Controls, allowing for feature and app access restrictions in BBOS 7.1. When introducing the smartphone, Carlo Chiarello, EVP of RIM’s Smartphone Business division, said:

“The new BlackBerry Curve 9320 is designed to make it easy for users to stay socially-connected. The new BlackBerry Curve 9320 will be especially popular with customers upgrading to a smartphone for the first time and existing Curve customers looking for a step up in speed and functionality.”