Earlier this week, analyst Tero Kuittinen speculated that RIM could deliver a slightly better-than-expected fall performance if the new Bold 9900 sparks decent upgrade interest. “RIM may have a window to make a real mark with the new Bold and Curve launches before the Android tide swamps it,” Kuittinen wrote, adding that the Bold 9900 is a “make-or-break device” when it comes to creating revenue growth between the August and November quarters.

Today, RBC analyst Mike Abramsky echoes that sentiment, though with a bit more skepticism. He, too, believes there’s some possible upside to RIM’s new BlackBerry 7 phones.

“While not game-changing (evolutionary UI, design) and reviews expected mixed, BB7 handsets offer competitive processors, touchscreens, some with 4G, and may stimulate an upgrade cycle,” he writes. “While possibly offering a near-term earnings catalyst, we believe BlackBerry 7 is unlikely to reverse deeply negative investor sentiment over RIM’s future, pending improved visibility to success or failure of pending QNX handsets expected 2012.”

Abramsky’s sales outlook for RIM’s BlackBerry 7 handsets: 22 million units sold out of a total of 54 million, and an average selling price of $292.

“As an alternative to the noise and crowds at Mobile World Congress, Barcelona, invited guests can relax on comfy sofas, enjoy delicious food and drinks as they discuss the industry and network with their peers–all courtesy of Nokia.”

– Nokia’s pitch for its Mobile World Congress Exhibit

Good thing Nokia is providing “comfy sofas” at its Mobile World Congress digs next week–sounds like attendees are going to need them.

Why? Well, the company is evidently taking a novel approach to MWC: It is attending, but with no new phones to show off.

How odd. Nokia (NOK) is, after all, the world’s largest mobile phone maker. And MWC is the mobile phone industry’s biggest annual event. For the company to show up empty-handed at a time when competition in the smartphone market is so heated and Nokia’s share so…fluid, seems unwise–particularly when the rumor sites have been ginning up expectations for new devices, including the 12-megapixel camera-touting, 720p video-shooting, multitouch N8-00.

As MKM Partners analyst Tero Kuittinen observes, “It would be a problem to have no introduction now because people want to see Nokia has something up its sleeve for summer.”

In a note to clients today, MKM Partners analyst Tero Kuittinen says Palm’s industry position is improving, and quickly too. “We believe that many of the risks we saw to [Palm] have subsided,” Kuittinen writes.

Listing three reasons for optimism, Kuittinen continues. “First,we are much more confident about Palm’s chances to sell through Verizon and believe a Verizon relationship would mitigate the uncertainty of an AT&T relationship.

“Second,” the analyst continues, “Europe is shaping up better than we had anticipated, as Android is failing to get sufficient traction, and the Palm Pre is outselling key HTC and Motorola models in major markets like the U.K.”

Concluding, he adds, “Third, Amazon and Wal-Mart are strongly supporting the Pre and Pixi, vindicating Palm’s strategy of targeting the mass market, rather than tech enthusiasts.”

Interesting points, all of them, particularly the one about European sales. Kuittinen says Pre shipments in Europe have been quite a bit stronger than once thought: “Distributor data from the past two months suggest that Palm could be selling 10,000-15,000 units per month in the U.K. We believe sales are doing reasonably well in Germany through Q2, and strong operator marketing support by Movistar in Spain bodes well for Palm, in our view. In total, we believe Palm could be selling 30,000 units or more per month in Europe.”

Kuittinen expects Palm to beat November expectations when it reports earnings Thursday.

“We expect Motorola’s 2010 performance to hinge largely on the success of Android models debuting in 4Q09. Just months ago, the expected launches were ‘Morrison’ for T?Mobile, ‘Sawgrass’ and ‘Heron’ for AT&T, and ‘Sholes’ and possibly ‘Calgary’ for Verizon” (VZ), Kuittinen said in a note to clients. “We believe the AT&T models have been canceled, and Verizon has pushed ‘Calgary’ into 2010.”

According to Kuttinen, “The loss of AT&T’s support for 4Q09 changes the winter outlook for Motorola dramatically. It is likely that the success of the $99 iPhone, combined with the possible November launch of the $99 Palm Eos could put AT&T in a situation where its $100 smartphone range for the Christmas quarter is already full of models featuring very advanced software and display technology.”

A worrisome turn of events and one that will weigh heavy on Motorola’s financials if it proves true. Said Kuittinen: “The narrowing of Motorola’s Android plans may have a substantial impact on the winter performance of the company’s handset division precisely because Motorola needs a rapid roll?out of a wide range of follow?up models for its ailing RAZR, Q and Z series models.”

“We expect Motorola’s 2010 performance to hinge largely on the success of Android models debuting in 4Q09. Just months ago, the expected launches were ‘Morrison’ for T?Mobile, ‘Sawgrass’ and ‘Heron’ for AT&T, and ‘Sholes’ and possibly ‘Calgary’ for Verizon” (VZ), Kuittinen said in a note to clients. “We believe the AT&T models have been canceled, and Verizon has pushed ‘Calgary’ into 2010.”

According to Kuttinen, “The loss of AT&T’s support for 4Q09 changes the winter outlook for Motorola dramatically. It is likely that the success of the $99 iPhone, combined with the possible November launch of the $99 Palm Eos could put AT&T in a situation where its $100 smartphone range for the Christmas quarter is already full of models featuring very advanced software and display technology.”

A worrisome turn of events and one that will weigh heavy on Motorola’s financials if it proves true. Said Kuittinen: “The narrowing of Motorola’s Android plans may have a substantial impact on the winter performance of the company’s handset division precisely because Motorola needs a rapid roll?out of a wide range of follow?up models for its ailing RAZR, Q and Z series models.”

GC Research analyst Tero Kuittinen believes it has. In a research note Friday, Kuittinen described the company’s Blackberry product range as “shopworn,” noting that even the new Blackberry Tour is quite close to the aging Curve in look and feel.

“We are concerned about the autumn and winter Blackberry product range–RIM seems to have made a deliberate decision to rely on incremental improvements in mid-range and low-end models instead of bringing advanced features aggressively to cheaper devices,” Kuittinen writes. “Considering how competitive the smartphone market is getting, we believe this cautious approach may begin backfiring in the autumn and particularly during the Christmas season.”

Kuittinen goes on to question the logic of the company’s new flip phone initiative, wondering why the company is rolling out its 8230 clamshell at a time when consumers are so enamored with large display devices like Apple’s (AAPL) iPhone and the new Palm (PALM) Pre. And that’s a great question because, well, the contract phone bestseller lists at most carriers aren’t exactly overrun with clamshells these days, are they?

“Overall, RIMM’s expansion to flip phones is ill-timed, and the Tour line lacks kick and the low-end improvements are minor at best,” Kuittinen concludes. “It is the combination of these three simultaneous factors that leads us to believe RIMM may have become lulled into complacency by the stellar success of the Blackberry devices over the past couple of years. The year 2009 is a tough period to let your product development program spin its wheels.”

Hard to disagree with that assessment given the handset launches we’ve seen so far this year. But perhaps the Storm 2 will prove Kuittinen wrong on that account. Perhaps it will even raise the bar a little. But even if it does, will that be enough to invigorate the entire product line? Kuittinen doubts it. “One major big-display phone launch, in our opinion, may not fully offset the slight malaise afflicting the rest of the Blackberry range in the autumn,” he concludes.

Below, our D7 Interview with RIM CEO Mike Lazaridis.