TORONTO – Research In Motion said Monday that it will hold an official launch event for its new BlackBerry 10 smartphones on Jan. 30. The new phones are seen as critical to RIM's survival.

The Waterloo, Ontario-based company said Monday details on the smartphones and their availability will be announced at the event. RIM said the event will happen simultaneously in multiple countries.

The release comes as the company struggles in North America to hold onto customers who are abandoning BlackBerrys for flashier iPhones and Android phones.