The Blackberry Priv is now available in the United Kingdom via Carphone Warehouse or Vodafone. (Photo : Twitter)
Canadian smartphone manufacturer BlackBerry is pinning its hopes of gaining traction once more in the market on its newest Android-based device, BlackBerry Priv. While the new smartphone from BlackBerry is widely lauded for its high-end specs and hardware, some critics are somewhat taciturn about its hefty price tag.
The new BlackBerry Priv sports a curved screen with a complete suite of Android Apps and the usual array of productivity tools and security features that once made BlackBerry a name to be reckoned with in the smartphone industry. BlackBerry is also paying homage to its roots and designed the Priv with a ubiquitous QWERTY physical keyboard that the company is famous for.
BlackBerry has upgraded its security features with the Priv. The rise of personal data theft and hacking has enforced the company to make amends on its usual set of security protocols. Most interesting is the DTEK feature which automatically alerts users every time an app tries to access any data or use the phone's camera or microphone.
According to Forbes, the name Priv is short for Privacy. Initial review of the BlackBerry Priv were mixed. Critics praised the phone's security features, long battery life and dual-keyboard design.
On the other hand, the $699 price tag without contract in the United States have raised some questions. Market analysts said that if BlackBerry wants to gain ground in the smartphone war, it should have released the phone somewhere within the median range and not on the top-tiered level.
Research firm Trefis told Reuters, "If the Priv - with its premium price of about $700 - is a hot, it could drive meaningful growth for the company. Moreover, the smartphone industry tends to be largely perception-driven and a single hit flagship product can bolster a company's brand image and create a halo effect around its entire product line."
