BlackBerry Priv Review: Can the First BB Android Phone Save the Company?
The BlackBerry Priv has finally been released today as part of the Canadian company's bid to turn itself around and save its hardware production business.
BlackBerry has launched its first Android-powered smartphone today. The BlackBerry Priv is a last-ditch attempt to make up for the financial loss from the company's hardware division. If this effort fails, BlackBerry will most probably close down its phone manufacturing business and focus instead on its software division, according to CBC.
In the past, BlackBerry had been criticized for its lack of apps at a time when a lot of consumers are more frequently streaming movies and accessing social media via mobile. Thus, after eight years, it has turned to Google for the operating system of its latest smartphone instead of sticking with its own BlackBerry 10 OS, Tech Insider (TI) explains.
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As of now, the Ontario-based company's own app store is still in a chaotic state. But, BlackBerry users who will buy the Priv will now be able to access millions of Android apps in the market, the report adds.
The BlackBerry Priv has garnered mix reviews upon its release. TI reporter Antonio Villas-Boas said the first BB Android smartphone is a beautiful cross between an Android device and the features that BlackBerry fans are looking for. It boasts of a 5.4-inch touch screen display and the familiar slide-out physical keyboard.
However, TI's Steve Kovach said the BlackBerry Priv may not be able to save BB's smartphone business. He pointed out that the device's $700 price tag is too high for its specs and features. Aside from being "under powered," it does not have any other premium features that could make it a worthy competitor for the iPhone 6s or Google Nexus.
Other Android phones that cost at least $379 offer excellent features that are not present in the BlackBerry Priv. Needless to say, customers may buy the Priv for its physical keyboard or out of loyalty or nostalgia for the old BB device, but not for any of the phone's features, the report says.
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. More details are expected to surface soon.
