In a move that could make or break the long-term viability of BlackBerry as a devicemaker, the company’s first-ever Android-powered device, the Priv, is slated for release to Verizon Wireless customers.
AT&T Mobility supports the Priv, which is for sale through the carrier or unlocked from BlackBerry for $699. That isn’t shaping up to be an exclusive U.S. release, however, as competitor Verizon Wireless hinted at a release on the @VerizonNews Twitter account.
Although there still aren’t many details, the tweet said, “The first-ever BlackBerry powered by Android. Coming soon.”
In addition to BlackBerry’s full keyboard, the Priv, which emphasizes security measures, will feature 2560 x 1440 resolution, a 5.4-inch screen, Qualcomm 8992 Snapdragon 808 Hexa-Core 64-bit processor, 32 GB RAM and expandable memory, among other specs.
BlackBerry CEO John Chen announced the new phone in a Sept. 25 earnings call.
“We are focused on making faster progress to achieve profitability in our handset business,” Chen said. “Today, 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’s security and productivity with the expansive mobile application ecosystem available on the Android platform.”
Chen said that the new smartphone, coupled with other initiatives, leads him to project “modest sequential revenue growth in each of the remaining quarters of fiscal 2016.”
