AT&T no longer has exclusivity rights on the first Android-based BlackBerry smartphone. T-Mobile is now offering the QWERTY-sliding handset to its customers online and in retail stores.
Rather than being just another Android smartphone maker building devices that look very similar to other handsets, BlackBerry opted to stand out from the sea of Samsung, LG, and HTC smartphones. The company decided to use its most recognizable and biggest strength to set itself apart from rivals and chose to construct a handset built around the company's iconic QWERTY keyboard.
This, of course, was the same feature that catapulted the former pager company in the late 90's to ruling the smartphone landscape in the early 2000's. The word "crackberry" was even coined to describe its addictive quality.
Rumors began to swirl in June that BlackBerry was planning to make its smartphone comeback by releasing a device not powered by the company's own BB10 OS, but the widely used and app-rich Android. The company confirmed the device and officially announced the BlackBerry Priv in October, providing more details on its specs, features, and sliding QWERTY keyboard.
Smartphone fans in the U.S. could buy the BlackBerry Priv unlocked or purchase the device from AT&T, its exclusive carrier since November. Now, T-Mobile has become the second U.S. carrier to begin selling the Android-based BlackBerry Priv on its network.
The BlackBerry Priv features a 5.4-inch 2,560 x 1,440 Quad HD dual-curved edge display with a high pixel density of 540 pixels per inch (ppi). The handset is powered by a snappy Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor, a powerful Adreno 418 GPU (graphics processing unit), and 3GB of RAM to keep things running smooth. It includes 32GB of internal storage and a microSD expansion slot that will support up to 2TB.
BlackBerry chose to give the Priv a high-end 18-megapixel rear camera with Schneider-Kreuznach optics, OIS (optical image stabilization), dual-LED flash, and 2-megapixel front-facing camera for video chat and selfies. The rear camera is capable of capturing 2160p video@30fps, while the front-facing shooter supports 720p video recording.
The BlackBerry Priv comes with a spacious 3,410 mAh battery that will provide up to 24 hours of talk time and up to 420 hours of standby time on a charge.
The BlackBerry Priv is now available from T-Mobile's retail or online store. The smartphone can be purchased using the carrier's leasing program, which requires customers to put $0 down and pay $30 per month for 24 months. Customers can also buy it for the full retail price of $719.99
