BlackBerry Priv May Have Come 5 Years Too Late, Experts Say
BlackBerry has finally made a solid move to attempt a financial turnaround by launching its first Android-powered smartphone called BlackBerry Priv, but some experts feel that the effort may have come five years too late.
The former mobile leader has already dropped way past iPhone and Samsung over the years, but BlackBerry wants to prove it is not yet ready to give up by launching the BlackBerry Priv. The first Android BlackBerry smartphone promises a level of security higher than that of Google's OS, but many fear that the device may not be enough to save the company, according to The Indian Express.
The BlackBerry Priv, which is now available in the United States for $700, runs the Android Lollipop alongside the BlackBerry software to quickly address the security flaws in the Android OS including bugs such as Stagefright. The smartphone is a good sell for customers who prefer a physical keyboard and those who want the hardware to match the online security measures of the device, Digital Trends reports.
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In a review of the BlackBerry Priv's specs and features, Joanna Stern of The Wall Street Journal said she does know a single person who still owns a BlackBerry device. In addition, the device's physical keyboard may not be enough to convince consumers to buy the smartphone because the on-screen keyboard is much easier to use. Moreover, Stern said there are times when the Priv was slow, the report relays.
Mario Aguilar of Gizmodo has stronger comments for the BlackBerry Priv. In his own review, Aguilar said the Priv is not a good phone to recommend to others, even to a person's enemy. He echoed Stern's sentiment about the device's "laggy performance" and even went as far as saying the phone's build feels cheap.
Despite all the negative reviews on the BlackBerry Priv, there are also those who appreciated its 18-megapixel rear camera and its keyboard slider. Russell Holly of Android Central gave the phone a high approval rating and remarked that the device should be the beginning of a long-term BlackBerry-Android tandem, the report details.
Overall, the BlackBerry Priv takes home good reviews for its spectacular display, good build, wireless charging and Android Pay support, slide-out QWERTY keyboard, Hub as a productivity tool, and the Android OS. However, the device has also gained criticism over its noisy camera in low-light, lack of functions for the Productivity Tab, added bulk because of the physical keyboard, and incompatibility with BB10.
