RIM licensed patent to Microsoft and shares jump.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

RIM licensed patent to Microsoft and shares jump.

Microsoft said the patent being licensed by RIM greatly expands the size of files that flash memory devices can handle and increases the speed at which those files can be accessed. The technology also provides the ability to seamlessly transfer data between a variety of different devices.

"This is potentially money out of RIM's coffers for the right to use the ex-FAT patent in its technology. But what it does for investors and others is provide a glimpse into what the BlackBerry 10 devices can do," said Kevin Restivo, a mobile device analyst at global research firm IDC.

RIM hopes the BlackBerry 10 will help it regain market share that has been ceded to snazzier devices such as Apple's iPhone and others that run on Google Inc's Android operating system.

Speculation has been around from sometime now about what and how many BB10 devices will RIM launch in early 2013:

RIM is preparing BB 10 models L-Series all-touchscreen and N-Series w/keyboard.

RIM readying two BB10 beta devices for USA carriers.

RIM shares closed 21 Canadian cents higher at C$7.24 on Tuesday on the Toronto Stock Exchange. On Nasdaq, they closed 2.3 percent higher at $7.42.

($1=$0.97 Canadian)

Source: Reuters