China 'ripe' for new BlackBerries

Canadian smartphone maker Research In Motion (RIM) said yesterday it would launch a customized version of the BlackBerry that supports China's home-grown 3G standard, as part of its latest efforts to expand in the world's largest mobile phone population.

The world's second largest smartphone vendor signed an agreement with China Mobile to deliver a BlackBerry model that supports China Mobile's TD-SCDMA network.

The new handset, which would start shipping "soon", will be targeted at Chinese small companies and individual consumers, according to RIM.