T-Mobile BlackBerry Oynx coming November

Kafuffle with embargo lets news slip out

8 September 2009 22:26 GMT / By Stuart Miles

T-Mobile in the US will release a new BlackBerry model later this year under the moniker of the Onyx or BlackBerry Bold 9700.

Although looking like a doppelganger for the 8520 announced in the UK last month, the model will according to the leaked blurb sent by a T-Mobile PR man to Cio.com be the "BlackBerry Onyx" and

"sports a premium experience and design with a high-gloss black finish and leather grain detail on the back. Boasting features such as high-speed 3G Web browsing, Wi-Fi calling, visual voicemail and support for corporate and personal e-mail options, the 'Onyx' will satisfy all your on-the-go needs. Also the phone comes preloaded with mobile applications from BlackBerry App World, including Amazon MP3 store for quick and easy music downloads and TeleNav GPS Navigator for turn-by-turn directions."

Currently there is no word on when the handset will make it to the US or the UK, although according to CIO it was asked to commit to a November embargo.

What is clear from the leaked picture is that the new handset will sport the optical d-pad as found on the 8520, suggesting that the trackball or Pearl as RIM calls it is on its last legs.

We will keep you posted.