Research in Motion is hoping to get its groove back with the upcoming launch of BlackBerry 10, but whether it will work is anybody's guess.
For now, investors are willing to give the company somewhat of a chance. Shares of RIM (RIMM) rose 5% Thursday following news that the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency will begin a pilot program early next year to test the company's new smartphones and the operating system.
It's a curious move. Just two months ago, it seemed that the federal agency was moving away from BlackBerry devices to Apple (AAPL) iPhones. In fact, it said it was ordering more than 17,000 iPhones for its employees, at a cost of more than $2 million.
But it seems ICE isn't making a decision one way or the other just yet.
"We're not backing away from BlackBerry or iOS," said ICE spokesman Barbara Gonzalez. "We've had a long and good relationship with RIM and plan to continue that."
Related: RIM's fate hangs on BlackBerry 10
While some ICE employees are using iPhones, some have continued to use BlackBerry phones as well, she said. And for now, the agency is going to maintain "a set of services"-- meaning both options.
While Gonzalez declined to provide details on the pilot program, she said the agency is developing mobile applications for law enforcement agents and exploring how BlackBerry 10 will fit in with the agency's mobile solutions in the future.
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