RIM has asked for BlackBerry 10 apps to be submitted by 21 January 2013, suggesting that could be the launch date of the new smartphones confirmed for the new year.

In a slip, that could be just that, Alec Saunders, vice-president of developer relations for Research In Motion, promised that those developers who got their apps in for "launch" would receive a limited-edition BlackBerry 10 device. After saying the word launch, he visibly paused - realising that he might have made a mistake.

In an attempt to lure developers further RIM is promising that any developers who gets their apps certified by RIM and manages to make more than $1,000 over the following 12 months will then have their sales topped up to $10,000  by Research In Motion to say thanks. 

Developers will be able to start submitting apps for BB 10 from 10 October 2012.

In August Pocket-lint got a a behind-doors sneak peek at two of the new devices expected to be at the forefront of the new push from RIM to reaffirm its efforts at turning the ship back on course.

The two devices - which, sadly for you, we were unable to photograph - include an all-touchscreen device and a touch and Qwerty keyboard offering a similar experience to the current BlackBerry Bold 9900. The touchscreen-only device doesn't look anything like the Dev Alpha unit already released to developers. 

The touchscreen-only device will have a 1280 x 720 pixel screen, while theQwerty smartphone will have a 720 x 720 pixel resolution screen. 

UPDATE: RIM has said that the 21 January is not the launch date, however hasn't elaborated further or gone on record to say that it won't definitely launch the new handsets on the 21 January.