Research In Motion has delayed the release of its BlackBerry 10 smartphone device until the latter part of 2012, company executives said on its earnings conference call after Thursday’s closing bell. The news took the “Fast Money” traders by surprise and options trader Mike Khouw went so far as to call it a “death knell” for the troubled technology company.

The Waterloo, Ontario-based company had originally planned to release the device in early 2012, but then pushed the date back to midyear before announcing it would need to wait until late next year. Executives said the delays come as the company waits on a dual core chip that integral to the device, but unfortunately won’t be available until midyear.

Upon learning the news, trader Karen Finerman wondered why executives didn’t make the announcement earlier. Trader Guy Adami shared her frustration, arguing the company could have revealed this information when the company guided lower on December 2.

It may have been tongue-and-cheek, but Khouw wondered whether RIM is considering leaving the business entirely.

“I don’t know anybody who was waiting for the phone in the first place and if this thing is being pushed back, they are going to lose any remaining traction that they have,” Khouw complained. “This seems like a death knell to me.”

(RELATED: Pros Trade Research In Motion Earnings)

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Trader disclosure: On Dec. 15, 2011, the following stocks and commodities mentioned or intended to be mentioned on CNBC’s "Fast Money" were owned by the "Fast Money" traders:
KAREN FINERMAN: Finerman owns BAC and AAPL. GUY ADAMI: Adami owns AGU, MSFT, NUE, BTU, C, GS, INTC.

PETE NAJARIAN
Najarian is long AAPL
Najarian has BAC long calls
Najarian has JPM calls
Najarian has WFC calls
Najarian is long INTC
Najarian is long YHOO

JOE TERRANOVA
Terranova is long VRTS
Terranova is long IBM
Terranova is long LQD
Terranova is long MUB
Terranova is long EMC
Terranova is long CSCO
Terranova is long AXP
Terranova is long TRLG
Terranova is long SBUX
Terranova is long SWN
Terranova is long SU

KAREN FINERMAN
Finerman’s firm owns AAPL AND short calls
Finerman’s firm owns JPM and leaps
Finerman’s firm owns IBM and short calls
Finerman owns JPM and leaps

STEVE WEISS
Weiss is long JPM
Weiss is long QCOM
Weiss is long SDS
Weiss is long TWM
Weiss is long WLP
Weiss is long BRCM
Weiss is long HPQ
Weiss is long EUO

MIKE KHOUW
Cantor Fitzgerald is a market maker in securities of AAPL
Cantor Fitzgerald is a market maker in securities of BAC
Cantor Fitzgerald is a market maker in securities of C
Cantor Fitzgerald is a market maker in securities of XLF
Cantor Fitzgerald is a market maker in securities of GOOG
Cantor Fitzgerald is a market maker in securities of JPM
Cantor Fitzgerald is a market maker in securities of GDX
Cantor Fitzgerald is a market maker in securities of MS
Cantor Fitzgerald is a market maker in securities of NFLX
Cantor Fitzgerald is a market maker in securities of ORCL
Cantor Fitzgerald is a market maker in securities of GLD
Cantor Fitzgerald is a market maker in securities of XLU
Cantor Fitzgerald is a market maker in securities of TLT
Cantor Fitzgerald is a market maker in securities of GS
Cantor Fitzgerald is a market maker in securities of RIMM
Cantor Fitzgerald is a market maker in securities of FRX
Cantor Fitzgerald is a market maker in securities of THOR
Cantor Fitzgerald is a market maker in securities of WBMD
Cantor Fitzgerald is a market maker in securities of FDX
Cantor Fitzgerald is a market maker in securities of UPS
Cantor Fitzgerald is a market maker in securities of EXPD
Cantor Fitzgerald is a market maker in securities of SBUX
Cantor Fitzgerald is a market maker in securities of NVLS
Cantor Fitzgerald is a market maker in securities of PHM
Cantor Fitzgerald is a market maker in securities of FSLR
Cantor Fitzgerald is a market maker in securities of DECK
Cantor Fitzgerald is a market maker in securities of TRIPV
Cantor Fitzgerald is a market maker in securities of CVX

DAN DICKER
Dicker owns SLB
Dicker owns RIG
Dicker owns APA

MICHAEL CHERTOFF
No disclosures

STACY WIDLITZ
Widlitz owns LULU

COLIN GILLIS
RESEARCH IN MOTION (RIMM): Investment banking (next 3 months): BGC Financial LP and/or its affiliates, expect to receive, or intend to seek, compensation for investment banking services within the next three months from all of the companies referenced within this report.
Lead or Co-manager: BGC Financial LP and/or its affiliates, has not acted as lead or co-manager in a public offering of equity and/or debt securities for Research in Motion within the last 12 months. BGC Financial LP and/or its affiliates has not received compensation for investment banking services in the last 12 months from Research in Motion.

TAPOSH BARI
Nike (NKE), VF Corporation (VFC), and Wolverine Worldwide (WWW): As is the case with all Jefferies employees, the analyst(s) responsible for the coverage of the financial instruments discussed in this report receives compensation based in part on the overall performance of the firm, including investment banking income. We seek to update our research as appropriate, but various regulations may prevent us from doing so. Aside from certain industry reports published on a periodic basis, the large majority of reports are published at irregular intervals as appropriate in the analyst's judgment.

CNBC.com with wires.