Rumor: Curve to Head to Sprint, Verizon on CDMA

Rumor site Boy Genius Report is reporting that the BlackBerry Curve 8330 will be headed to Sprint and Verizon. The device will finally give CDMA carriers a key missing device: A multimedia BlackBerry.



While Verizon has just launched the BlackBerry 8830, and Sprint plans to do so early next month, both carriers have been lacking the recent wave of consumer-focused RIM devices. Both carriers did not receive a variant of the 8100 Pearl, RIM’s first multi-media BlackBerry. The Curve being the more-traditional version of the Pearl (adding a traditional keyboard and GPS) has often been considered the next BlackBerry to be ported to CDMA.

While rumors do point to the device retaining the GSM international roaming support, it is not clear how a multimedia BlackBerry would fit into the more-integrated CDMA carrier offerings. Both Sprint and Verizon offer music stores and video-on-demand services. It is not clear if RIM has been holding back on multimedia CDMA BlackBerries in order to support these platforms. However, with the BlackBerry being Java-based, it does appear possible that Sprint’s Java-based Music Store could be ported to the Curve. This would mark the first time a CDMA carrier delivered its multimedia services (TV & Music) to a Smart Device.

33 responses to “Rumor: Curve to Head to Sprint, Verizon on CDMA”

  1. Christopher Price

    Verizon customer service is not made aware of devices pre-release. I would not consider that information to be reliable.