BlackBerry is working on a new BlackBerry OS 10 tablet device that the manufacturer is planning for release late this year. The new product is more of a “phablet” than a traditional tablet, which is following on the heels of other manufacturers who have dabbled in a very popular combo device that is smaller than a mini-tablet, but with a screen larger than a normal smart phone.

Currently, this tablet is known as the B10, but no other specs are known at this time. The last tablet that the company tried, which was the 7” BlackBerry PlayBook, was supposed to be another option to the iPad, but a number of factors conspired to make this tablet less than desirable.

Since the launch of the Z10, which is the company’s first BlackBerry device powered by the new BlackBerry 10 OS, the company has made a dent; albeit it is a small dent, but there is a dent nonetheless. The company has shipped over one million of the Z10s already, and in conjunction with some difficult cuts the company has had a profitable quarter.

Of course, we have to question the wisdom of thinking about the release of a phablet form factor, which could be nothing more than a fad. We will have to see where this development leads. If BlackBerry wants to get this phablet released in time for the holiday, they will need to make a decision by the end of the summer, and it could be a totally different playing field by then. We will wait to see if the BlackBerry phablet ever actually makes it to release.