BlackBerry’s last kick at the smartphone can

(official media image release of BlackBerry’s Priv)

 

by Michelle Laramie

BlackBerry has announced the release of their new smartphone the BlackBerry Priv on Nov. hoping to regain their customer base for handheld devices.

The Priv will combine the best of BlackBerry security and productivity with the benefits of the Android platform.  It will continue to run on the BB10 operating system which the company says they will continue to develop, with a scheduled upgrade to a 10.3.3 version in March 2016. The Priv offers:  a hidden SmartSlide keyboard, DTEK by BlackBerry warning system, 5.4” dual curved screen, 22.5 hours of multi-use battery life with a 3410 mAh battery, a Schneider-Kreuznach certified camera  and sells without a contract for $899.

“We are focused on making faster progress to achieve profitability in our handset market,” said Chief Executive Officer John Chen in a financial release on Sept. 25.

BlackBerry was a leader in the smartphone market but began to slip in the last few years when users started switching to Apple or Android which were upgrading and improving with the times.    They were offering more apps and this appeals to users looking for the next best thing.

The release of the Priv is looked at by some as BlackBerrys last kick at the smartphone can. The Priv will be offered online at Rogers.ca or BlackBerry.ca. The Rogers store on Tecumseh Rd. said if they carry them they will only be on special order.

“All of our BlackBerry devices are on special order.  We just don’t sell enough of them to carry them in regular stock,” said Samuel McLean, who is a customer service representative for Rogers.

Some people think that it is a great idea for BlackBerry to finally catch up and integrate with a new platform but feel it may be too little too late.

“I think it is great that BlackBerry is adding the Android platform. The BlackBerry world was pretty limited but I really don’t think it’s worth it,” said Shannon DeWit, 36.  DeWit was a loyal BlackBerry user until Android offered more for less.  “I think they have a great idea but I just wouldn’t risk spending that much money on a chance,” said DeWit.

BlackBerry is known for its own dedicated network for excellent security as well as the BlackBerry Hub an aggregation tool for messaging making them popular amongst business professionals.  Some companies that supply employees with their mobile devices have moved on to Apple or Android phones because they have surpassed them with the interactive multimedia features they offered and perfected first.  Former Windsor mayor Eddie Francis was an avid user of BlackBerry.

“Until about a year ago when I started my new role (Vice President WFCU) and to my devastation they handed me an iPhone…  I have been on an iPhone for about a year now and I have been able to move on,” said Francis.

Ina Bragiannis, an operations manager at Team Industrial Inc. regularly used BlackBerry for work.  “It was a very convenient phone to use for managing the 80 plus email interactions daily,” said Bragiannis.  Her company decided to change service providers and with that she was issued an iPhone.

“Change sucks,” said Bragiannis.  “But you get used to it.  It’s just a learning curve.” Bragiannis is not against switching back to BlackBerry but that would be up to her company.

The make or break of BlackBerry rejoining the world of handheld devices seems to be how they market themselves towards large companies.  These companies are calling the shots on what phones  are supplied to their employees.