What might be taking a page out of the Microsoft play book, RIM co-CEO Mike Lazaridis, tells Silicon.com reporter Natasha Lomas, the new Blackberry Bold is not “inspired” by the iPhone, after all. In regard to very iPhone-like exterior with very similar glossy-black-front-with-silver-bevel-edge on the upcoming BlackBerry Bold:

This is three years in the making. So I’m sorry but this wasn’t a response to another device. Either that or we have a time machine somewhere, or some kind of magic crystal ball or something. This was actually designed three years ago and the actual physical design of this product — I have the original models from 2006.

Really, how long does it take RIM to design a device anyway? Lets face it the Blackberry Bold is a nice Blackberry, but has little in the way of innovation from the current Blackberry. Maybe Apple copied the iPhone design from them when it shipped a year ago?

According to RIM co-CEO Mike Lazaridis, “If you go back in history, just about every major consumer electronics technology in history started in the enterprise. So everything from printers, fax machines, telephones, typewriters–you name it, it all started in the enterprise.”

Sure like the first personal PC, the Apple II and the Mac, gaming consoles, MP3 players, TVs, VHS, DVD, stereos… Oh wait all of these started with “consumers.” Huh?

Mr. Lazaridis, said “We’re already working on our next-generation platform.” Let me guess, a touch or multi-touch Blackberry, that is three years in the making that is NOT at all like or inspired by the iPhone!

    | Tags: Apple, blackberry, iPhone, Mobile, rim