The BlackBerry Priv Will Also Be On Verizon Wireless; Features Android And Physical Keyboard
The new BlackBerry Priv landed on AT&T on Friday as a short-term exclusive, and because of the temporary exclusivity, Verizon Wireless also said it will carry the first Android-run BlackBerry handset as well, though in an unspecified date, reported Droid Life.
In the carrier's Twitter account, a tweet was: "PRIVTM by BlackBerry. The first-ever BlackBerry powered by Android. Coming soon."
For now, the BlackBerry Priv is only available through AT&T but, according to GSM Arena, interested customers can sign up for updates about the phone on Verizon Wireless' website. The handset was spotted running on the Big Red's networks a week before it was released.
From its BlackBerry OEM, Priv is available for $700 for unlocked models which work with GSM networks only. AT&T likewise sells the customized model online and directly in stores. For the BlackBerry Priv to be Verizon Wireless-capable, BlackBerry must develop another variant that alters radio to run on the CDMA network of the carrier.
In the US, the Priv is fully LTE-capable and functional on AT&T and T-Mobile.
The Android-powered BlackBerry handset has a slide out keyboard loved by BlackBerry fans, while the company focuses on security and it does come with a preinstalled security suite. Early BlackBerry Priv reviews have credited the phone with several positive points.
According to CNET, the secure Android-BlackBery phone has a bit narrow keyboard which is unfavorable for those with large hands. When fully extended, it feels heavy. The handset misses out on fingerprint and iris scanner.
The good thing though, is that it comes in a solid and sleek form with Google's Android as its mean tweak, and it was fun to slide open the keyboard pack in useful functionality.
Its major features are the Android tweak and the awesome keyboard. However, for those who are not excited with keyboards, or not concerned with security, they can choose cheaper phones which have better options, said CNET.
