Blackberry to pursue 3D possibilities

3D is arriving and anybody who’s anybody will be making this next on their agenda. HTC, Sharp, and perhaps Apple are all set to launch their own 3D smartphones, and it looks like BlackBerry is ready to lay down the gauntlet as well.

Research in Motion (RIM) has seemingly been busy making plans to feature a tridimensional display on its BlackBerries and buying Swedish company The

Astonishing Tribe (TAT), who are specialists in producing user interfaces, has set them up perfectly to introduce this. TAT’s technology has provided custom interfaces for phones such as Samsung, Sony Ericsson, Motorola and many others.

Working on 3D displays for quite some time now, TAT has produced some well-thought-out technology, ideal for smartphones. One feature for example shows consideration for the phone’s usability by placing the switch to access the 3D interface based on the user's hand position.

However, up until now BlackBerry has always aimed for functionality over entertainment, unlike its competitor the iPhone for example. Therefore the display interface is a lot smaller, and questions are raised as to whether 3D would be appreciated on the BlackBerry.

More importantly because of the emphasis on functionality, the BlackBerry has always had its corner of the market in the business world, and introducing 3D adds the risk of alienating this market, which may not see the value in such technology.

With this move into 3D, RIM could be wasting investment and jeopardising its flagship account, or it could simply be looking to move into developing more entertainment-driven technologies. Either way, for all phone manufacturers out there, 3D is on its way in.