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5 reasons why the BlackBerry Priv is the comeback king

blackberry priv 8
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The BlackBerry Priv will soon be in our hands but I already want one. And you should too. It's an expensive handset – around US$700 – and although it might seem destined to be a niche success, here are five reasons why the BlackBerry Priv is going to be a comeback king. And why you're going to want one.

blackberry priv 1
Here are five reasons why the BlackBerry Priv will be ve-nice. / © ANDROIDPIT

1. Physical keyboard

The BlackBerry Priv comes with a physical, slide-out keyboard. It's old-school, and it looks great. Touchscreen keyboards are fine and all, but sometimes I want to feel the buttons click when I press them.

Not only will the BlackBerry Priv satisfy this craving, but this physical keyboard is touch-enabled, meaning it can be used to scroll through pages and apps. Just swipe a thumb across it, as if it were a touchscreen, to navigate.

blackberry priv 5
The physical, touch-enabled keyboard is a standout feature of the Priv. / © ANDROIDPIT

2. Curved QHD screen

The BlackBerry Priv has a 5.4-inch QHD display. This just below phablet size, meaning it should provide a solid viewing experience while remaining pocket-friendly and easy to operate.

But there is more to the BlackBerry Priv display than just that. This is a dual-screen display. Like the Galaxy S6 Edge+, the edge of the screen houses additionally functionality such as providing quick access to apps, or displaying the battery meter, for example. 

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The 5.4-inch QHD display of the BlackBerry Priv is set to be a beauty. / © ANDROIDPIT

3. Software

The BlackBerry Priv is said to be a secure and safe device, but this isn't the only reason to get excited. BlackBerry has tweaked the stock Android interface to add some of its own interesting features.

BlackBerry Hub is going to put all of your messages in one inbox, while widgets are going to be more discreet, and look as though they will be hidden until you wish to see them. Check out some of the features in the video below. 

4. Big battery

The BlackBerry Priv will arrive with 3,410 mAh battery. This is big battery on a device that's thinner than the Galaxy Note 5. Samsung's phablet has a 3,000 mAh battery and even that has good battery life, despite running a heavily modified version of the Android software. 

The BlackBerry Priv software looks far closer to stock Android, and BlackBerry suggests that the Priv will last for around 22.5 hours with “mixed use”. We’d expect to get two days on a single charge (after all, you won't be using your device continuously for that time).

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This is BlackBerry's battery estimation for the Priv. / © ANDROIDPIT

5. Expandable storage

I’m not saying you should buy a US$700 phone because it has expandable storage. I’m just saying that this looks like an extremely powerful phone, and internal storage that can be expanded will make it even more appealing.

These types of devices are becoming less and less common – if you want a device with a Snapdragon 808 processor, QHD display, 3 GB of RAM, a good battery and a strong camera, other than the LG G4, your options are quite limited – so the BlackBerry Priv fills something of a gap in the market. 

Are you interested in the BlackBerry Priv? Let us know in the comments. 

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Scott Adam Gordon

Scott Adam Gordon
Editor

Originally from the UK, Scott graduated in Popular Music Studies at Newcastle University and attributes much of his success there to his beloved Samsung Galaxy S2. His current aim is to write cool things about Android. And he loves it.

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  • 4
    Dillan K Nov 8, 2015 Link to comment

    I hope they do well with this device. It'd be great to see Blackberry finding success again!


  • Flappy Goat Cakes 3
    Flappy Goat Cakes Nov 5, 2015 Link to comment

    CAN TELEPHONE MAKE MY DINNER I DONT WANT CALL WRONG NUMBER


  • 3
    Jeffrey Siegel Nov 3, 2015 Link to comment

    As a senior citizen who was a huge Blackberry fan, recently I notice that I'm making a lot more spelling mistakes with the touch keyboard on my Nexus 5(stock--NOT Rooted). I am really looking forward to a real keyboard again. Don't get me wrong...I really like my Nexus 5, but for what I use my device for all the added features of any Smartphone are wasted on me. Maybe Google and Android and Blackberry can come out with a device that is marketed to Seniors, with Large fonts, and eliminating a lot of the pre-installed apps that most seniors will never use. My mother is almost 93 years old...and she just got her first Smartphone....(finally got rid of that old Flip phone)...and she only uses it for phone calls and to look at pictures people send to her She will not read or send email on her new Android Smartphone, because that's what her laptop is for. And what else does she use her laptop for....to play bridge againsgt the computer.....so she doesn't need a smartphone with all the bells and whistles. So I plant the seed for Google and Android and Blackberry to think about a new seniors device.....and maybe this time next year there will be a device for us OLD FARTS! Just an Idea....

    James Thomson


    • 1
      Alfonso Rosado Nov 3, 2015 Link to comment

      They already have you covered with "workwide" on the BlackBerry Passport. Large physical (and touch enabled) keys, wide display. Unless you're really big on App hording, it's a great device because of its design.


    • James Thomson 5
      James Thomson Nov 11, 2015 Link to comment

      I agree with Jeffrey, I want this blackberry because of the physical keyboard. I also dumped phone apps that were no use to me, when I could.


  • 1
    HO TO Nov 3, 2015 Link to comment

    can I trade in with old Q10?


  • Bojan M. 23
    Bojan M. Nov 2, 2015 Link to comment

    I always welcome competition, it will only be better for us customers, and the phone seems to be fantastic! BB FTW!


  • Christopher Silva 17
    Christopher Silva Nov 2, 2015 Link to comment

    I really hope this does it for BB. I love their keyboards and I loved their old phones.


  • 7
    jack pollard Nov 2, 2015 Link to comment

    Blackberry with a physical keyboard? Hummm, I'm pretty sure I will pass on that. Not rootable, yet another skinned device, don't care about the expandable storage, a simple usb/micro sided 128G storage drive sits on my key ring. My N6 lasts all day, so no issue there. To each his own of course!


  • 1
    Stevevbo Nov 2, 2015 Link to comment

    This is a phone you can hang on to for the next 4 years without the constant need to chnage I.e. if you're not a phone junkie. Its a solidly built Canadian monster and I think the added features warranty the pricing. It is in many ways the perfect phone because it has everything a phone should have without making any compromises. It is just perfect!


  • 1
    Kevin Daniel Nov 2, 2015 Link to comment

    Am I the only one who thinks this phone will struggle? Not because of the quality but because of the price. $700??? The high end phablet market is getting cheaper and cheaper and blackberry lost its consumer stature to compete with Apple or Samsung (which also is struggling) in their price market. Should've been $550, maybe $600 at the most. They are competing with lg, nexus, moto, sony, htc, op2, etc... Am I crazy for thinking that?


    • fq2 1
      fq2 Nov 2, 2015 Link to comment

      I think it will do well, but if it doesn't, the price will be why.. However, the price can change. It's probably the best problem to have on a phone for that reason, especially if it's the only problem (as it seems to be thus far).


  • 3
    Ronald Kappus Nov 2, 2015 Link to comment

    This is BlackBerry's breakthrough device!


  • 3
    Tony Chan Nov 2, 2015 Link to comment

    Wow... an Android OS Blackberry phone? Blackberry Priv? It's finally coming... YES!!! I was a loyal Blackberry user for many years up to Blackberry Touch till switch to Note 2. Skipped Note 3, now with Note 4. Still misses the blackberry email features. Perhaps, this is the one to come back to. All the best to Blackberry.


  • 1
    Danny Giraldo Nov 2, 2015 Link to comment

    This blackberry Priv has the most secure software of any phone ever. I cannot understand why people don't pay attention to this. On top of that the memory can be expandable to 2T (that's 2000 GB!!!!!) The only issue that blackberry had, was the lack of apps. Well this is solved now with the android platform. I have been a blackberry user before and this phones are elegant, very functional, and never ever had a problem with it crushing or getting. Bug. . I can't wait to get my hands on the PRIV


    • 1
      Graham Carruthers Nov 2, 2015 Link to comment

      Umm, no! Blackberry 10, the Blackberry in house software, is more secure!


  • 6
    Robert Johnson Nov 2, 2015 Link to comment

    In the article you mentioned expandable memory phones are becoming less common. Don't forget that the Moto x Style (Pure) just came out and it has expandable storage.


  • Ebony M Queen 3
    Ebony M Queen Nov 2, 2015 Link to comment

    I'm ok I'm still wounded from blackberry I forsee so many issues with the phone and the "tweaked software"


    • Adrian Murray 2
      Adrian Murray Nov 2, 2015 Link to comment

      Please provide some examples.


    • 1
      Michael Willsey Nov 2, 2015 Link to comment

      Blackberry hardware is rock solid, as is the Priv. With Priv you get the best of all worlds, full screen with on screen keyboard, slide up screen and you get the luscious physical keyboard for power texting or emails, the operating system is solid Google Android Lollipop, but there are is a skinned on Blackberry HUB communications, anything else Blackberry is anything you can get in the Play Store such as Blackberry Messenger. The battery life is going to be two days, for real. I was on a Nexus 4 after leaving BB at OS7, but never, even enjoyed screen based keyboard. BB Passport got me back with its amazing keyboard! You can use the keyboard on Passport and Priv to actually scroll pages up, down, left, right without touching the screen itself. This is the future of BB, that being Android powered BB hardware. So if you loved BB phones for their solid feel and durability, and loved physical keyboards, jump on this phone!


  • Adrian Murray 2
    Adrian Murray Nov 2, 2015 Link to comment

    I have been looking to move on from Samsung and considered the iPhone 6S Plus until the Priv became a reality. I'm hoping T-Mobile will have this in their stores as past relationships with Blackberry and T-Mobile have not been favorable.


    • 1
      Chinbishrelt Dugarnyam Nov 2, 2015 Link to comment

      All four carriers will have them including t mobile. It's just depending on time. It may be either end of this year or early 2016.


  • Michael Detwiler 4
    Michael Detwiler Nov 2, 2015 Link to comment

    Seems like a very nice device. Like to see Verizon get it and put on display in their corporate stores.


    • 1
      Chinbishrelt Dugarnyam Nov 2, 2015 Link to comment

      There is a picture leaked that Priv was running on Verizon. And all four carriers will have them.


  • Andy Brady 3
    Andy Brady Nov 2, 2015 Link to comment

    Absolutely, if it comes to Verizon. I won't have crappy coverage to have an amazing phone.


    • 1
      Chinbishrelt Dugarnyam Nov 2, 2015 Link to comment

      It is coming to Verizon .There is a recently leaked image of the VeriZon version of BlackBerry Priv.


  • 1
    D M Nov 2, 2015 Link to comment

    It does run Android, and I am ordering mine as I write this.


  • 1
    Doug Kennedy Nov 2, 2015 Link to comment

    This phone runs Android.


  • SciCal:Scientific Calculator 4
    SciCal:Scientific Calculator Nov 2, 2015 Link to comment

    They are making a great comeback and I would definitely love it more if it is in the Android OS though.


    • 1
      Michael Willsey Nov 2, 2015 Link to comment

      The Blackberry Priv phone is powered by the latest Google Android Lollipop in 100 % of it's function, and included will be the BB HUB, other than that you got a pure Android phone! BB rock solid hardware, Android Lollipop, mega battery size/life, plus BB's amazing physical keyboard hidden and ready at the flick of the screen, the PKB is lighted at night and touch sensitive, you can scroll up,down, left or right without touching the screen by touching the keyboard!

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