BlackBerry says thanks with a gift phone

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TORONTO, Feb. 5 (UPI) -- Canadian firm BlackBerry said it would give away 12,000 special edition Z10 smartphones to application developers who stuck by the company.

Formerly known as Research In Motion, BlackBerry changed its name last week as it launched two new phones, including the all touch-screen Z10.

BlackBerry, once a pioneering company in the smartphone market, is now playing catch up to the likes of Apple and other companies that have eclipsed BlackBerry in sales.

The new phones will be carried by Verizon Wireless, T-Mobile and AT&T, the Los Angeles Times reported Tuesday. The Z10 is expected to go on sale in March.

In an online posting, BlackBerry said "thank you" to developers "for all of the outstanding applications you have developed for BlackBerry 10."

"Thank you for all of the long hours, late nights and early mornings you've spent coding," the posting said.