BlackBerry set to fight back with new handset

BLACKBERRY is looking to launch its fightback this week with a new high-spec version of the trademark handset.

The smartphone has been in decline in recent years largely due to the growth in Apple iPhone and Samsung Galaxy S3, but experts say the BlackBerry 10 (BB10) should give them a run for their money.

One expert who has held and used the device ahead of the launch said it had “high specifications” that allowed users to do “good stuff in a couple of clicks”, which would appeal to both businesses and consumers.

But another questioned whether the launch, delayed from last year, meant the brand’s owner, Canadian firm Research In Motion, had left it too late.

Malik Kamal-Saadi, principal analyst with Informa, said the new operating system on the two expected handsets was a “trump card” that could see it win back customers.