BlackBerry Android-based device coming to US with T-Mobile US deal
T-Mobile US announced it will offer BlackBerry’s new Priv handset, which runs Google’s Android operating system, beginning Jan. 26.
BlackBerry, known for its emphasis on security and business customers, was once the preferred smartphone of many governments and enterprises; BlackBerry devices were also synonymous with full keyboards. The advent of Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android operating systems marked a shift in fortune for BlackBerry, which hopes to jumpstart sales with the new Android-based Priv.
T-Mobile US customers can get the Priv through the carrier’s “Jump On Demand” device-financing program with no money down and priced at $34 per month.
“BlackBerry’s new super-secure Priv (p.s. Priv stands for privilege and privacy!) is powered by Android and rocks an awesome 18-megapixel dual-flash camera, a powerful battery built to withstand up to 22 hours of use and two keyboards: a virtual on-screen keyboard and BlackBerry’s signature physical keyboard in slide-out form giving users the best of both worlds,” T-Mobile US noted in its announcement.
Verizon Wireless has hinted at a U.S. release of the Priv, while the phone is currently available through AT&T Mobility or unlocked from BlackBerry for $699.
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 the smartphone, coupled with other initiatives, leads him to project “modest sequential revenue growth in each of the remaining quarters of fiscal 2016.”
