Marshmallow update for BlackBerry Priv will arrive next year

BlackBerry made the decision to power the Priv with Android but kept one of its other popular features – the physical keyboard.

BlackBerry phones were popular for business users and were powered by the BlackBerry OS.

It looks like any other phone until you slide the keyboard out from the bottom, like a desk drawer.

With the BlackBerry Priv now available to be purchased in the US from AT&T ($249.99 with a signed, two-year pact; $699 off-contract), it is time to take stock of the version of Android that is pre-installed on the phone. There is a back-lit physical keyboard which is hidden under the slim 6-inch tall slab.

So there’s a lot to say about the Priv and normally I’d say it all in a full review.

The Priv is the first device that BlackBerry has sold that does not run on its own operating system (OS). This move is long overdue according to critics; BlackBerry should have been appealing to the smartphone industry instead of fighting it and being beaten by big companies such as Apple and Samsung.

Google continued its enterprise push on Wednesday with the launch of new programs relating to Android for Work, its group of features and services that help make the mobile operating system easier to manage for businesses.

BlackBerry’s rapid decline has seen the company’s market share drop to just 1% of the global smartphone market. As for battery life, most reviewers say it can easily last all day, although a few say you might need to pack a charger if you’re a heavy user.

Inside the Priv is the relatively recent Snapdragon 808 processor. The Priv is available for pre-order for $699. Here’s how these publications answered that question.

BlackBerry has been conservative with the release of the phone, producing only GSM models for the phone and initially excluding CDMA models.

Engadget: Probably not… unless you really want a phone with a keyboard. The Priv though will receive the monthly Android updates even if it is still on Android Lollipop.