Next up: HTC and BlackBerry

We’re not done yet in the pre-holiday smartphone product launch wars. Just one week after iPhone5 ‘s launch (see “Apple Unveils a Skinner, Lighter iPhone”) and two weeks after the same-day launch of Windows 8/Nokia phone ( “New Smartphones May be Nokia’s Last Stand”) and new Droid Razrs by Google and Motorola (“Motorola Shows off First Smartphones Under Google”), more smartphone announcements are on the way.

HTC is expected to launch a rumored Windows 8 phone on Wednesday morning. And while the beleaguered Research in Motion (RIM) isn’t expected to launch its much-awaited BlackBerry10 until next year, leaked photos of the phone hardware surfaced yesterday in some press accounts.  And next Monday RIM is hosting a hackathon for developers in San Jose, California, showing off their new operating system and planning “an intense 10-hour coding day where developers can turn their app ideas into reality, all in an exciting and supportive environment.” 

RIM needs all the excitement it can get, as it faces a fight for survival in the smartphone wars without an up-to-date product on shelves during the holiday season (see “Rim, oh Rim”).