BlackBerry 10 devices unlikely to be quad-core

RIM has confirmed that it's unlikely to include quad-core processors in its first bunch of BlackBerry 10 devices.

Quad-core is one of the hot specs in mobile this year, with the HTC One X and Samsung Galaxy S3 already packing beefy chips, and we'll see the LG Optimus 4X HD and Huawei Ascend D Quad arrive later this year, both sporting four cores.

Although not all manufactures are jumping on the quad-core band wagon, with RIM joining Nokia in taking a cautious approach to the high-powered chips.

Quad-core is just a great spec to write on the spec sheet

Speaking to TechRadar, Andrew Bocking, RIM's SVP Software Product Management said: "It's interesting to see the dynamics between quad-core CPUS and dual-core CPUS and really where the big value is beyond the spec itself in the overall user experience.

"What we're seeing is that unless you're going to have a lot of applications running that require the four core environment, it's just a great spec to write on the spec sheet; it's like saying I've got a V8.

Bocking:

"Having quad-core is like saying I've got a V8"

"Certain vendors can only compete on spec, so quad-core makes a ton of sense for them, but we want to make sure the performance of our device is the best and we will make sure we do the right thing for our users."

RIM isn't ruling out quad-core completely, but it's making sure its development is data driven and thus dual-core processors may result in the best performance for its devices for the time being.

The BlackBerry 10 handsets need to ensure they deliver the excellent user experience RIM has promised, as consumers could quickly view the mobiles as under-powered compared to the competition.