With growing competition in the business sector from handsets such as Apple’s iPhone it would only make sense that RIM would then extend it’s phones elsewhere, which exactly what it is doing with the new Pearl 8220.

We had previously seen leaked imagery of the above phone but didn’t actually here much from RIM about it, regarding the US. We now know the phone’s first US carrier will be T-Mobile.

Some of the phone’s features include a Sure-type keyboard, a flip open screen (a first for RIM), a 2MP camera, and built in Wi-Fi. The 8220 won’t, however, be compaitble with the 3G network like it’s older brother, the Bold, but instead on the much slower EDGE networks.

There is no word on when we will see this phone or for how much but we will keep you posted.