Research In Motion on Thursday responded to a market rumor suggesting that production of its BlackBerry PlayBook tablet had been stopped, and it was considering an exit from the tablet market. “RIM doesn’t typically comment on rumors, but any suggestion that the BlackBerry PlayBook is being discontinued is pure fiction,” a RIM spokesperson told BGR in an email. “RIM remains highly committed to the tablet market.” BGR reported earlier on a note from Collins Stewart analyst John Vinh stating that RIM’s manufacturing partner Quanta had been ordered to discontinue production of the BlackBerry PlayBook in light of weak sales. Vinh also said that RIM was canceling development of future tablets.

Zach Epstein has worked in and around ICT for more than 15 years, first in marketing and business development with two private telcos, then as a writer and editor covering business news, consumer electronics and telecommunications. Zach’s work has been quoted by countless top news publications in the US and around the world. He was also recently named one of the world's top-10 “power mobile influencers” by Forbes, as well as one of Inc. Magazine's top-30 Internet of Things experts.