Market losing faith in Blackberry

The maker of the BlackBerry is running out of time.

Research In Motion Ltd’s stock fell to a nine-year low, a day after the Canadian company said phones running its upcoming BlackBerry 10 operating system will not be available until after the holiday shopping season.

Sales of the once-pioneering BlackBerry phones, which now look outmoded next to the latest iPhones and Android devices, fell 41% in the latest quarter and likely will not pick up again until new phones come out.

By then, it might be too late. When the new BlackBerrys go on sale in the first three months of 2013 – assuming there will not be another delay – people will have even more choices:

:: This autumn, Apple is expected to release a new iPhone with an improved Siri virtual assistant. It promises a new mapping service that sports voice navigation.

:: Samsung and other phone makers are continually selling new models that run Google’s Android operating software. The next version of Android, expected in mid-July, will have improved search and photo sharing.

:: Phones running a revamped version of Microsoft’s Windows system are also coming this autumn.