Developers attend Blackberry 10 Jam in Kitchener.Deborah Baic/The Globe and Mail
Research In Motion Ltd. has a gathered a number music and video partners for its BlackBerry 10 storefront, ranging from Walt Disney Co's Walt Disney Studios and Sony Corp's Sony Pictures to Vivendi SA's Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group.
RIM announced the partners on Monday, ahead of Wednesday's launch of its first phones based on its much-delayed BlackBerry 10 smartphone platform, which may be the company's last chance to regain ground it has lost to Apple Inc.'s iPhone.
Content partnerships are a crucial part of this effort as analysts have largely attributed the success of iPhone and devices running Google Inc.'s Android software to the selection of applications and media content they offer.
RIM said its BlackBerry World would include an extensive catalog of songs, movies and television shows. Most movies will be available the same day they are released on DVD, and with next-day availability for many TV series.
RIM's offerings will also include Matador Records, Rough Trade Records and Sony Music Entertainment music that will be initially be available in 18 countries.
The video downloads and rentals will initially be available just in the United States, United Kingdom and Canada and will include TV shows from providers such as ABC Studios, BBC Worldwide and CBS Corp.
RIM shares were up 1.7 per cent at $17.91 in early trading.