Just one month after Blackberry CEO John Chen confirmed the company's plans to launch an Android-powered handset called the Priv, UK-based retailer Carphone Warehouse has revealed the price and estimated release date for the handset. Additionally, Blackberry has released its official promotional video for the device which you can watch below.
An unlocked Priv can be pre-ordered in the UK from Carphone Warehouse for £580 (approximately $898) with an estimated delivery date of November 6. The rest of the world can preregister for the smartphone here.
The Priv comes with a physical keyboard, a feature that many Blackberry devices were famous for, although this one slides out of the phone. The device has a 5.4-inch screen and is 5.7-inches long, increasing to 7.2-inches when the slider is extended. An impressive 2560 X 1440 screen resolution boasts 540 PPI - an increase over the iPhone 6S and 6S plus. The front facing-camera has a 2MP sensor, while the rear-facing sensor has 18MP. On the storage front, the Priv's internal memory starts at 32GB but the Micro SD card slot can increase this up to 2TB. The whole thing is powered by a hexa-core (Qualcomm Snapdragon 808) chipset backed by 3 GB of RAM and a massive 3410mAh battery.
The Priv also features a dual-curved screen and DTEK, a warning system app designed to enhance the handset's privacy. The smartphone will be running Android 5.1.1 Lollipop out of the box; there's currently no word when, or if, the Priv will be upgrading Android 6.0 Marshmallow. Anyone interested in the Priv may want to check out the range of official accessories that Blackberry has revealed for the device.
Speaking about the Priv back in September, Chen said: "I am confirming our plans to launch Priv, an Android device named after BlackBerry's heritage and core mission of protecting our customers' privacy. Priv combines the best of BlackBerry security and productivity with the expansive mobile application ecosystem available on the Android platform. This phone is the answer for former BlackBerry users who miss the physical keyboard but also need apps."
Blackberry was once a dominant force in the cell phone market but now makes up less than 1 percent of all sales. While the Priv does look fairly impressive, it remains to be seen just how appealing the smartphone will be to consumers, or if it will ever become a serious competitor to Apple and Samsung's devices.