RIM buys Iris browser developer

RIM buys Iris browser developer

26 August 2009

Torch Mobile acquired to develop WebKit browsers?

Research in Motion (RIM), the BlackBerry manufacturer, has bought Torch Mobile, the company known for creating the web browser known as the Iris.

Based in Canada - as is RIM - Torch Mobile has a reputation for developing WebKit based browsers for mobile phones. Currently, Torch is known for its Iris web browser that works on those mobile phones supporting Microsoft's Windows Mobile operating system. According to Torch, the company 'will continue to be active participants in the WebKit development community'.

Many observers now believe that Torch Mobile will be designing a variant of Iris to work on the BlackBerry range of smartphones, according to the Yahoo Finance website.

And what exactly is WebKit? It is the open source software that's currently being used for browsers installed on the iPhone, the Palm Pre, Android smartphones plus a selection of Nokia smartphones.

Click to read the Yahoo Iris story