RIM Introducing Tap-Based Transfers in BlackBerry 7

RIM said that a "tap to share" feature will be added to the next BlackBerry 7 OS update.

ZoomDuring his keynote presentation at the GITEX conference in Dubai, Research In Motion Co-CEO Jim Balsillie unveiled a new way for BlackBerry smartphone users to connect with one another and share multimedia content. He called it BlackBerry Tag, and it's expected to be incorporated into the next BlackBerry 7 OS update at an unspecified date.

Balsillie reports that the new feature will allow users to share contact information, documents, URLs, photos and other multimedia content by simply tapping their BlackBerry smartphones together. Friends will also be added instantly as a contact on BlackBerry Messenger (BBM).

"BlackBerry Tag is an exciting and innovative feature that makes sharing contact information and multimedia content effortless and seamless," he said. "BlackBerry Tag opens a new dimension to the BlackBerry platform that is powerful, simple and intuitive and we think it will be welcomed by both users and developers."

Balsillie added that the BlackBerry Bold 9900/9930 and BlackBerry Curve 9350/9360/9370 smartphones will be the first devices to support BlackBerry Tag, as these devices also support Near Field Technology which powers the new Tag capability. BlackBerry Tag will also be released as APIs for the BlackBerry platform so that developers can add a "tap to share" feature in their own applications.

Currently it's unknown when the OS update will take place, but it's possible we'll know more about the release during RIM's BlackBerry DevCon Americas 2011 conference in San Francisco next week (Oct 18-20).