Research In Motion (RIM) today unveiled the first ‘flip-phone’ BlackBerry, an attempt by the vendor to move further into the consumer market. The new Pearl Flip 8220 smartphone uses EDGE technology and is due for launch around the world – and in the US exclusively from T-Mobile, and in Canada from Rogers Wireless – this autumn. RIM Co-CEO Jim Balsillie told The Canadian Press that the new device is the company’s first smartphone to deviate from the familiar rectangle shape. “I am not aware of another flip-phone in the smartphone category… I would expect, and that’s just a personal expectation, that it would go more to the consumer market.” Today’s announcement follows increasing global operator demand for its first HSPA product – the BlackBerry Bold – and analyst research this week that showed RIM doubled its smartphone market share in Q2 2008 compared to the year-ago period, securing second place (trailing Nokia) with 17.4 percent of the market.

Meanwhile, smartphone market-leader Nokia today announced it is expanding the number of handsets able to connect with Microsoft’s business e-mail system, a move Wall Street Journal says is an attempt to better compete with RIM’s BlackBerry. All phones using the S60 platform, developed by Symbian, will be able to download Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync, a programme widely used by corporations that allows users to get work e-mails sent to their phones. In a statement Nokia said 43 Nokia devices will now feature the ‘Mail for Exchange’ mobile e-mail application. Nokia also announced that Mail for Exchange will be loaded onto all future N-series and E-series phones.