BlackBerry seems to be in the forefront of things currently, and along those lines there seems to be another leak about an alleged Android device being created by BlackBerry and code-named Vienna. The Vienna is slightly different looking, as compared to the Priv. While the Priv has a hidden keyboard which can be revealed by sliding the display upwards; the Vienna has a visible QWERTY keyboard.
Image Source: crackberry.com
However, one must note, that this is just a leak and the images may not be the end design of the project. It is further speculated that this product could possibly be cheaper than the BlackBerry Priv. Now, as we speak about the display of the Vienna, it can be seen that there are three physical Android keys above the QWERTY keyboard. Along with that, we can also see the rear and front cameras.
As of now, this is all we know about the Vienna. There is no information about the launch or announcement of the device.
It’s been a while since BlackBerry has made any sort of major statement in the mobile world. There was a time when BlackBerry had so much going for it as it stood apart from the typical smartphones on the tech circuit. BlackBerry loyalists loved a great deal of what the QWERTY-centric phone was providing.
Pretty soon people started expecting more -more apps, more services, more everything, which BlackBerry was having a tough time providing. But you can’t say the company didn’t try. The BlackBerry Bold range were a great set of handsets by the company. It did have most of your favorite social media apps such as Facebook, Twitter, BBM chats. It also looked great and had a distinctive BlackBerry feel to it with finger-friendly QWERTY keyboard that was more premium than the Curve.
BlackBerry Bold
The problem the Bold lineup was facing was that it lacked a lot of native apps. Around 2010, the iPhone did not face this problem and neither did the Android devices, which is what made many people trade in their BlackBerry devices for an iPhone or an Android phone. After the influx of Android devices, BlackBerry got pushed to the sideline. It was no longer ‘cool’ to own a BlackBerry. By 2011, BlackBerry was almost out of sight.
In 2013, BlackBerry made a comeback with the Z10 and Q10 which ran on the BB10 OS. The reactions towards the devices were mixed but overall it was fairly positive. While the Q10 had the traditional QWERTY keyboard, the Z10 went full touchscreen. This move was expected from a company that was literally trying to save itself. But it did not quite work well. The phones came equipped with BB10 OS. Now while the Z10 could make full use of the new OS but didn’t, the Q10 didn’t even have a chance. Quite evidently, the new OS was made for a full display. Yet the Z10 had the same problem as its predecessors – lack of native apps.
BlackBerry Z10
Jumping to present day -we see that BlackBerry is trying to make a comeback again with the new Priv. Much has been said about the Priv, which is like a hybrid of the Z10 and Bold. Judging solely on the renders of the device that have been seen, the Priv looks great. It looks attractive and the slide-out keyboard does not seem to hamper the device’s sleek look which is still distinctively BlackBerry at heart.
BlackBerry Priv
The phone features a full touchscreen display and a slide out keyboard to please fans of both types. Yes, there are still people out there who love the feel of a keyboard even though almost every device today is based fully on touch. Along with this, images of the Priv also suggest that the device has a curved display much like the Samsung Galaxy Edge. Furthermore, the phone is going big on security -a feature BlackBerry is already known for. There is a special security app for the device that monitors it for any threats. Also, it will also be the first Blackberry phone that will run on Android.
The specs of the Priv sound good, too. It will come with a Snapdragon 808 processor and 3 GB of RAM with 32 GB extendable storage. It features a 5.5 -inch curved display with a 1440×2560 pixel resolution and 537ppi. Finally, the Priv has an 18 MP primary camera and a 5 MP front. With a reasonable price tag, we could see BlackBerry right back into the game. Only time will tell if people are ready to go back to BlackBerry or if the company is a little too late.
Would you be willing to give the new Blackberry Priv a try? Tell us in the comments below.
BlackBerry Priv’s leaks are coming faster than the company perhaps expects. New images have surfaced courtesy N4BB that show close-up shots of the display and the camera, revealing and confirming some specs of the Priv that we have already mentioned earlier.
The first image shows that the Android-powered phone will be powered by an SoC (either Snapdragon 808 or 810) with 64-bit processor. The next image confirms the primary camera sensor. The Priv will feature an 18-megapixel Schneider Kreuznach primary camera and is capable of shooting Ultra HD video in 4K @30 fps. It will also feature a 5-megapixel front-facing camera.
We also know that BlackBerry is going big on security and privacy, which is why the device is called Priv (privacy and productivity). Another image shows a new app that is called BlackBerry Safeguard that shows the security status of your device based on its settings and the apps installed. As the image below shows, the app will also allow you to see how other apps are using your information, set a pattern lock, scan your device for malicious software, and more.
Other features previously mentioned include a 5.4-inch curved display with a Quad HD resolution of 1440 x 2560 pixels, and 3 GB of RAM. The phone is expected to come with Google’s Android OS, but it is not clear yet as to which version of Android it will feature. The design of the Priv brings back some elements of the BlackBerry Z30 that users grew to love such as the glass-weave back plate. The hint of carbon fiber styled back also sets this device apart from other Android phones.
The Priv might have a November launch, though BlackBerry is expected to make an official announcement on it later this month.
Blackberry CEO, John Chen, had an awkward time showcasing the new Blackberry Priv in an interview. The Priv is an Android-powered slider smartphone that combines the best of Google’s mobile OS with Blackberry’s security and productivity.
At a hands-on interview with the Priv, John Chen found himself fumbling through the device. Presumably, the CEO was not prepared for an impromptu demo such as this. Throughout the demo Chen repeatedly stated that the Priv “runs on Google,” and found it quite a task to open Chrome tipping that the handset is a demo unit.
Now, we understand that the Android operating system is a new area for the company, and it is also understandable that hands-on demos do tend to make you stumble a little (remember Satya Nadella’s faux with Cortana). Chen’s failure to name Google’s operating system is perhaps symbolic of the company’s current difficulties.
We had mentioned in an earlier post that the Blackberry Priv is expected to feature a 5.4-inch QHD (1440×2560 pixels) display, a 1.8GHz hexa-core 64-bit Snapdragon 808 SoC, 3GB of RAM, and an 18-megapixel rear camera.
While the company is confident of the success of Priv once it is out in the open, it is still hard to tell whether consumers are ready for a hybrid smartphone such as this. The phone is expected to hit the stores later this year.
Blackberry revealed that the hardware revenue for 800,000 smartphones consisted of an average selling price of just $240. Apple will make more money than that in just one day. Needless to say, things seem beyond bleak for Blackberry.
In a fresh attempt to pull itself together, Blackberry earlier announced its plans to launch an Android phone, the first of its kind for the company. Previously codenamed as Venice, Blackberry Priv (short for ‘privacy’) was confirmed yesterday as the official name of the smartphone. Priv is expected to bring the best of both worlds by coupling the latest Android technology with exclusive Blackberry features.
The phone is expected to feature a 5.4-inch quad HD display. The camera is will possibly be a 18 MP, with a Snapdragon 808 processor, a 1.8GHz core and 3GB of RAM.
So far, we only had leaked images to go on with. But just yesterday, Blackberry CEO John Chen made an appearance along with Priv in a BNN Canada video. Now we know for a fact that the newest Blackberry smartphone will have a big display which is curved at the edges, reminiscent of Samsung Galaxy S6 edge and S6 edge+.
A little over five years ago, Blackberry had blown the world of instant messaging off its feet with its Blackberry Messenger. It’s time the company made a similar breakthrough again. It will be the launch of Blackberry Priv which would determine whether or not Blackberry is able to reaffirm its position in the tech world.
