Rumor: BlackBerry PlayBook Tablet OS 2.0 Launching February 17?

By Mauricio

The team over at BGR have received word that RIM plans to launch Tablet OS 2.0 for the BlackBerry PlayBook in mid-February next year. Besides for this bit they’ve also claimed that the new Tablet OS “is going to be a big emphasis on video calling with the company’s first super smartphone” which is rumored to have a front-facing camera. Some more details:

RIM has never allowed more than one device PIN per BlackBerry account, so it hasn’t been possible to use both your smartphone and PlayBook PIN for your email or BlackBerry Messenger at the same time. We have heard that RIM is trying to take a page out of Apple’s new iMessage service and make BlackBerry Messenger work much the same way on both your BlackBerry and PlayBook, but “that isn’t happening” according to our source, and right now RIM’s solution involves “two independent BlackBerry Messenger apps with different contact lists.”

This issue, combined with others, has caused the release of PlayBook OS 2.0 to be delayed until mid-February 2012, we have been told. One specific date we have heard is February 17th. It also seems like employees within RIM aren’t exactly excited about this new OS update, but we’ll have to wait for it to be released to give it a go ourselves.

I was really hoping to see Tablet OS 2.0 launch before the end of the year but if this rumor holds true, I guess that won’t be happening . Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments or in the forums!

via BGR