BlackBerry-maker RIM unveils touchscreen model

TORONTO — Research In Motion’s new chief executive unveiled a newly designed BlackBerry smartphone prototype powered by a re-imagined operating system — the very software the company has pinned its future on.

Thorsten Heins, who took the CEO job in January, on Tuesday revealed features of the BlackBerry 10 operating system running on a prototype device at the company’s BlackBerry World conference in Orlando. He provided no update on the software’s launch date.

Heins, who is trying to rally developers to make applications for the new operating system, promised that each developer at the conference will go home with the prototype BlackBerry.

In a speech that was broadcast on the company’s BlackBerry World website, Heins stressed that the device is not the finished product.

“We’re taking our time to make sure we get this right,” Heins said.

The prototype BlackBerry has a touchscreen, but no physical keyboard like most BlackBerry models. One of the new features is a modified touchscreen keypad that will allow users to select full words with a single keystroke.

The once-iconic company has had difficulty competing with flashier, consumer-oriented phones such as Apple’s iPhone and models that run Google’s Android software.

Investors were not impressed. RIM’s stock closed down 82 cents, or 5.7 percent, to $13.48.

Heins made his first major speech since replacing longtime chiefs Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis in January. Lazaridis announced a month earlier that the often-delayed operating system would be delayed again until later this year.

Analysts say RIM’s future depends on the new BlackBerry 10 software platform, although many say it may be too late.

“I’m very, very confident we will be there later this year with an exciting product. Make no mistake, this is not the final device, this is not the final hardware,” Heins said.

“But it’s a very, very important milestone for us.”