BlackBerry Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) (TSE:BB)’s chief executive officer John Chen recently revealed the upcoming smartphone price. The new Passport phone will retail for $599 in the United States. The phone will also vary in price by country all based on taxes and tariffs.
John Chen opens up
Chen compared this phone with other competitor smartphones adding that the Passport phone should cost about $700. However he kept the market in mind and aimed for a number lower than that. The upcoming handset will feature a 4.5 inch square screen and a physical keyboard. This will be the first global launch since last year’s flop with BlackBerry 10.
Although the Canadian tech giant is putting more of a focus on its core business users. One example of this is how the phone’s larger screen will appeal to those who work in the medical industry. The new phone’s screen size as well as high resolution enables users to see 60 characters on each line. This is a significant upgrade from more traditional phones like the iPhone. The new BlackBerry Passport will also feature improved battery life and improved reception.
BlackBerry’s next big launch
BlackBerry will officially launch the new phone on Wednesday in Toronto, London, and Dubai. The phone will be available immediately after launch in some stores. One to two weeks later many more places will have it and this includes the China market.
Two months from now, the tech company will launch a new version of device management software. BlackBerry is also expected to release the Classic smartphone in December.
Chen offered, “The reason why our focus is so enterprise is because what we know how to do is security and productivity. Security, cybersecurity, personal identity protection. This is going to be a big deal.”
Although Chen is excited and hopeful about the new phone, some analysts are skeptical it will save the company.
