Andre Yoskowitz
28 Dec 2010 23:01
Kaufman Bros. analyst Shawn Wu says RIM is "making good progress" on the upcoming PlayBook tablet, however, the low battery life remains a critical issue.
Wu cites industry and supply chain sources, adding that the new QNX operating system is progressing strongly, as well.
Outside of the battery life, "app store monetization" is also an issue, notes the analyst.
Speaking about RIM's decision to work on multiple operating systems (BlackBerry OS 6 and QNX), Wu added(via PCM):"Competitive pressures will likely step up as we are also hearing Microsoft courting developers pretty aggressively with its new Windows Phone 7 platform as it attempts to catch up."
The battery life remains the main concern, which Wu claims is only "a few hours." The iPad claims 10 hours while the Galaxy Tab has over 6.
"From our understanding, this could require a bit of re-engineering," says Wu of the OS and battery life. "One possibility we are hearing is the likelihood of a larger battery which could add to the heft and weight of PlayBook."
In its current form, the PlayBook is 0.9 pounds.