BlackBerry was born in Canada. Back when the company was still called Research In Motion, Canadians were more than happy to claim it as their own. So, why has BlackBerry chosen to release the new Q10 in England, not Canada, first?

BlackBerry has a massive British following. In fact, the phones that the company produces might be more popular in England than in Canada or elsewhere in North America. But, don't fear, BlackBerry will also be launching the Q10 in Canada on May 1st.

The Second New Phone From BlackBerry

The Q10 will be the second phone from BlackBerry to run the new BlackBerry 10. The first phone, a touchscreen called the Z10 was released this past February. The main difference with the Q10 is the QWERTY keyboard that so many BlackBerry users have come to know and love. This keyboard might just save an ailing company, too.

Most BlackBerry users migrated towards the company's phones purely based on that QWERTY keyboard. BlackBerry was larger the first company to create a QWERTY smartphone keyboard, and it remains one of the companies that makes the best QWERTY keyboard available. In fact, it's hard to see why BlackBerry even ventured from this keyboard. The company is putting a lot of weight into the release of the Q10, and BlackBerry's fate will largely depend on this phone's overall success.

Availability in Canada

When the Q10 does arrive in Canada on May first (interestingly, the company has not officially announced the UK release date, though it will be sometime in April), it will be available through Telus, Bell Mobility, and Rogers Wireless. BlackBerry has told press that the Q10 will be priced at $199 with a three-year contract.

US Availability and Pricing

In the US, the new Q10 will be available for $249 with a standard two-year contract. That's a high price for a phone that may or may not live up to user expectations. As far as the official US launch date goes, the Q10 will be available in the US towards the end of May, but the specifics here are largely unclear.

The Z10 Surprises All

BlackBerry's newest phone, the Z10, brought the company some additional funds, and BlackBerry did report an increase in profits after shipping one-million Z10 phones throughout the world. However, this profit is not enough to keep the company in good standing, and BlackBerry really needs the Q10 to sell very well.

If you haven't had a chance to play around with the Z10, I recommend checking it out. You might not get all the apps with BlackBerry that you would get with an iOS or Android device, but the phone itself is a lot of fun to play with -- it's also a refreshing break from the norm. Will the Q10 live up to BlackBerry fan expectations? Or, will this phone fall short.

If the later happens, it could mean trouble for the Canadian company. May 1st is fast approaching, so we'll see how the UK responds to BlackBerry's latest addition.