BlackBerry able to update PRIV without carrier approval if necessary

The Priv, which is the name of the new model, will be the first BlackBerry to use Google’s Android operating system.

These characteristics don’t stick out as much as BlackBerry’s or Motorola’s, though it’s great to notice LG innovating. The tech community is eager to know whether the new smartphone from BlackBerry is powerful or fascinating enough to put the company on top of the smartphone industry again.

It carries a 5.4 inch display, runs on Android Lollipop, runs on Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 and comes with 3GB RAM. The Priv also features a 2 MP camera with wide selfie mode. South of the border, the phone retails for US$699.

Blackberry is barely selling any phones anymore and it is no wonder why their Blackberry 10 OS has been a resounding failure. To come anywhere close to making amends, they will have to sell at least 5 million smartphones, which is a steep hill to climb given that they sold a mere 800,000 phones last quarter. Clearly, BlackBerry has to offer something innovative to get back the market share.

It has been rumoured elsewhere that the exclusivity deal will only last for just two months. What better way to ensure folks that their promise to uphold those values will never fade than to commit to delivering monthly security patches? Data theft, privacy, and several other issues continue to pose a concern for Enterprise users who would prefer a Smartphone that is built over a secure environment and yet something that allows them to be as productive.

For now, it is still early to gauge the sales performance of the BlackBerry Priv, especially since the Canadian smartphone maker has not yet released a specific figure for orders. Android phones usually use the built-in touchscreen keyboard inside the Android operating system, but the Priv will also have a slide-out physical keyboard. “I’m pleased to say that day has arrived”, said John Chen, Executive Chairman and CEO, BlackBerry.