BlackBerry has officially begun accepting preorders for its new Android-powered Priv smartphone, but only residents of the U.K., the U.S. and Canada can preorder the device at present. However, there are indications that the device may soon be available in some other parts Europe.
In Europe soon
BlackBerry has not informed fans yet when it plans to sell the device in other markets, but a couple of Dutch websites, such as Student Mobile and GSMwijger, have listed the device, suggesting that soon it will be available in Europe as well.
Both websites have listed the device’s price at €799, which is equivalent to $880. Reports suggest that the gadget will be available in the region by week 48, which is towards the end of November. The pre-booking price for the BlackBerry Priv in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. is $699, $899 and £559, respectively. The device is priced on a higher side, but since it’s a flagship device from the company, it can be understood why the Canadian firm is charging so much for it.
Preorders not for CDMA Networks
On the Priv’s preorder page, the Canadian firm states that beginning Nov. 6, it will start shipping the Priv in the U.S. However, customers having cell service with Sprint, Verizon or any other carrier that makes use of a CDMA-based system will not be able to preorder the BlackBerry Priv.
Nevertheless, the device has generated much curiosity in the industry as BlackBerry has never done an Android device before. The Canadian firm is promoting the device as one that offers all BB-level security while running on Android.
BlackBerry Priv specs
The BlackBerry Priv has a 5.4-inch screen with a resolution of 2,560 x 1,440 pixels. It has a dual-edge curved AMOLED display and is powered by the Snapdragon 808 processor. The device comes with 3GB of RAM, built-in storage of 32GB, and microSD card support. It has an 18-megapixel rear camera and a powerful 3,410 mAh battery. The device runs on Android 5.1.1 Lollipop.
It has a slider form factor, which is not seen commonly these days. When the user slides out part of the device, he/she is able to see the QWERTY hardware keyboard for which BlackBerry is known. With the launch of the Passport last year, the Canadian firm introduced a feature under which the keyboard of the device doubles as a trackpad, and the same feature is now available in the Priv as well.
