Camera-Less BlackBerry Bold 9650 Coming to Sprint This Spring?

Enterprise BlackBerry users with strict no-digital-camera-on-corporate-device policies, or others who for whatever reason want their smartphones to be camera-less, will likely soon have a larger selection of BlackBerry devices to choose from, including an updated version of the BlackBerry Tour: The BlackBerry Bold 9650.

Images of what appear to be leaked Sprint inventory information suggest the wireless carrier will soon be offering two “new” BlackBerry devices: The BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8230; and the BlackBerry Bold 9650, in both camera and non-camera versions.

It’s unclear when exactly these devices will become available–BlackBerry-maker Research In Motion (RIM) has not even announced the 9650, which is expected to be released as the BlackBerry Bold 9650, instead of another Tour. But rumors suggest the Verizon 9650 could land in May. And it stands to reason that Sprint won’t be far behind in releasing its own version of the Bold 9650, likely in May or June.

The BlackBerry Bold 9650 is basically a revamped version of the Tour 9630, with RIM’s new trackpad in place of its problematic trackpad, Wi-Fi support and slightly beefed-up processor.

During the past year or so, RIM made camera-less versions of its most popular enterprise-oriented devices, including the BlackBerry Bold 9000 (via AT&T) and the Tour 9630 (via Verizon and Sprint), for corporate or government users who travel frequently into sensitive areas or facilities where digital cameras are barred.

The U.S. Air Force recently announced stricter BlackBerry-security rules, mostly related to the use of Bluetooth, but if the trend continues, additional smartphone rules and regulations for U.S. government employees, perhaps in relation to digital cameras, could also be on the horizon.

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