In what can’t be described as an unexpected surprise, the ailing Research in Motion today released financial results that may just turn out to be the final nail in the coffin.

The company’s revenue went down a shocking 33% from the previous quarter to $2.8 billion, with a net loss of $518 million. 5,000 more people would be retrenched in efforts to save $1 billion and BlackBerry 10 will be delayed until the beginning of 2013 due to unexpected delays.

RIM shipped a total of 7.8 million smart devices in the first quarter of the 2013 fiscal year, as well as roughly 260,000 Playbook tablets. Steve Zipperstein, Verizon Wireless’ former General Counsel will be hired as their new Chief Legal Officer.

Recent rumours have suggested that RIM may be split into two seperate entities, with the device hardware division be sold off under the BlackBerry moniker to the highest bidder, which may be either Amazon or Facebook.

Subscribers to the BlackBerry services is said to have been growing well everywhere except for North America, which happens to include the company’s home country, Canada. More news to follow today when RIM’s earning’s conference call will be held.