Heins did say that RIM would release a 4G-equipped BlackBerry PlayBook later this year, presumably with the company's BlackBerry 10 operating system, which he said was nearing completion. In the interim, and for the next couple of years, RIM will continue to actively develop and support the BlackBerry 7 operating system, which is a key part of RIM's continuing efforts globally to shift users from feature phones to smartphones.

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And Heins laid to rest what he said were surprising conclusions by reporters and bloggers that RIM's distinctive physical keypad would be missing from the upcoming BlackBerry 10 phone models. "Will there be a physical keypad option in the BlackBerry 10 portfolio?" a reporter asked.

"The physical keypad will be an option in the BlackBerry 10 portfolio," he replied.