The BlackBerry Leap, a mid-range device, is now available for purchase in the United States. The device, which went on sale last week in the U.K., will also be available in France and Germany starting today.
BlackBerry Leap coming soon in Canada, India
In France and Germany, the BlackBerry 10 handset is priced at €289, while in the U.S. it costs $275. In the U.K., the device is selling for £199. The device was announced at a MWC 2015 press conference in Barcelona and will soon be available in other markets, including Canada, India, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.
The Leap is targeted towards young professionals and companies looking to replace their device fleet. About the product, Ron Louks, president of Devices and Emerging Solutions at BlackBerry, had to say that the Leap rounds out their portfolio of BlackBerry 10 devices by giving an affordable option to mobile professionals looking for a smartphone that secures sensitive communications and enables productivity.
The smartphone supports two app stores: BlackBerry’s own app store and Amazon’s app store. Users will not be able to access all Android apps, however, but they will be able to enjoy popular ones such as Pinterest, Candy Crush Saga, Cut the Rope 2, Kindle, SoundCloud and more.
Offers enhanced security and privacy features
The BlackBerry Leap, which is an all-touch smartphone, is packed with the latest 10.3.1 OS and a Snapdragon S4 Plus Processor. The device has a screen size of 5 inches and resolution of 720 pixels, which is way too low for some users but will drive battery life for longer hours. The device comes with a 2,800 mAh battery, which keeps it running for 25 hours.
The Leap has 2GB of RAM, 16 GB of internal storage, support for microSD to extend storage up to 128 GB LTE, Bluetooth 4.0, 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, FM radio, Miracast, DLNA, and GPS and GLONASS support. BlackBerry has packed an 8MP rear camera with an LED flash and a 2MP front camera into it as well.
Additionally, some of the best security and privacy features have been embedded in the new phone. The Canadian smartphone maker integrated “Device guard” functionality, which is an anti-virus feature which checks apps against known malware. Also the Canadian firm has made available some effective encryption tools but only enterprise customers can access it.
