BlackBerry Priv Rumors: Leaked Images Confirm Smartphone Specs

By Dondi Tiples, Christian Post Contributor Thursday, October 08, 2015

Recent leaked images of the BlackBerry Priv have reportedly confirmed rumors of the upcoming Android smartphone's specs.

Canadian smartphone manufacturer BlackBerry earlier announced it would be officially unveiling its latest smartphone, the BlackBerry Priv, just six months after introducing its BlackBerry Venice slider handset at the MWC 2015 in Barcelona, Spain.

Recently, several leaked images of the handset have made their way online, pointing out the upcoming device's features.

Rumored to be powered by a 64-bit octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 chipset and an Adreno 418 GPU supported by 3 GB or 4GB of RAM, and 32GB/64GB/128GB internal storage options, the Priv will reportedly be sporting a 5.4 or 5.5-inch display and an 18MP Schneider Kreuznach rear camera with 4K video recording capabilities, as well as an 5MP or 8MP front shooter.

The BlackBerry Priv is said to be running Android 5.1.1 Lollipop out of the box, instead of the in-house BlackBerry OS. However, rumors have pegged a new build of BlackBerry 10 software to be incorporated in the Priv for encryption purposes, remote wiping, and separating personal and work profiles on the device.

Based on the leaked images, the handset will feature BlackBerry's Safeguard app, which displays the security status of the device and allows users to scan their handset for malicious software, malware, and other untrusted apps, as well as edit app settings, screen lock options, trusted websites, and developer options.

In terms of design, the BlackBerry Priv features a dual-curved display similar to the Samsung Galaxy Edge and Galaxy Edge +, and a glass-weave back panel manufactured using a carbon fiber type of material.

Users will be able to view the handset's battery charging status on the device's right hand side, as well as access a slide-out QWERTY keyboard on the slim device.

The BlackBerry Priv is speculated to have its official unveiling sometime in November and is expected to become available online and on retailer shelves in Q1 2016 at a $500 to $600 price range.