The BlackBerry Bold 9700 - otherwise known as the Bold 2 - is RIM's latest update to their original Bold model, appearing as a sort of hybrid of the BlackBerry Bold and Curve models. This phone is expected to be available through carriers worldwide in November 2009. New features include an upgraded vertical resolution to 480 x 360 (from 480 x 320), an optical trackpad instead of the typical BlackBerry trackball, an upgraded 3.2MP camera and the latest BlackBerry 5.0 operating system. As found on the original Bold, the Bold 2 will include 3G network compatibility and high-speed data transfer and web browsing, as well as Wi-Fi access and Wi-Fi calling. The phone allegedly comes pre-loaded with certain apps from BlackBerry appworld, including Amazon and a turn-by-turn GPS navigator. The Bold 2 supports personal and corporate email forwarding and has a visual voicemail function. Like most BlackBerry models, it has a full QWERTY keyboard and numerous organizer functions. Without a contract, the Bold 2 is expected to have a high price point.
