16GB version of BlackBerry PlayBook

BlackBerry PlayBook

 Research In Motion (RIM) will discontinue 16GB version of BlackBerry PlayBook.

Though the company will continue to sell PlayBooks, the 16GB version won't be available once current inventories run out.

"RIM will no longer be making the 16GB model of the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet. The 16GB PlayBook will continue to be available for distributors and retailers while quantities last. We continue to remain committed to the tablet space and the 32GB and 64GB models of the BlackBerry PlayBook continue to be available from our distributors and retailers around the world. There is more value for our customers in the higher capacity models (32GB, 64GB), and as such we have decided to focus our efforts here," said RIM in a statement.

Apple leads global media tablet market in first quarter

Apple is leading the media tablet market in the first quarter of 2012. The devices major has nearly 65 percent of worldwide units.

Apple's cumulative shipments in its first eight quarters of availability are 67 million.

RIM grew 233 percent and Lenovo's sales increased 107 percent in the first quarter of 2012.

In 2011, the number third player was RIM's BlackBerry PlayBook in India. 

According to a report in InformationWeek, the PlayBook plays an important role in RIM's current OS strategy. PlayBook OS 2.0 is the foundation of what will eventually be BlackBerry 10. RIM is merging features of PlayBook OS 2.0 and BlackBerry 7 to create the new master OS that will run on both its tablets and smartphones.

PlayBook is the main hardware platform on which developers can test their BlackBerry 10 applications.

RIM has said that apps that can run in PlayBook OS 2.0 will be able to run in BlackBerry 10. RIM needs as many applications as possible available to BlackBerry 10.

This means RIM can't drop its tablet business entirely, but it can get away with scaling back on the hardware