BlackBerry CEO confirms that the company will roll out at least one Android smartphone this 2016, and it could possibly be the BlackBerry Vienna. If this is successful, a second device could also be on the way.
Considering the success of BlackBerry's first Android device, the impact of the Priv seems to have reverberated through to the big picture of BlackBerry.
"Our new Priv device has been well received since its launch in November, and we are expanding distribution to additional carriers around the world in the next several quarters," BlackBerry CEO John Chen says (PDF), referring to the deal with T-Mobile, Sprint and Verizon to sell the device following a 60-day exclusive agreement with AT&T.
In an interview at the CES 2016 trade show, the BlackBerry head honcho said that the company will only release Android smartphones this year, and a handset or two is already well under way.
While BlackBerry doesn't intend to abandon the BlackBerry 10, it won't be investing in the production of new hardware for the home-built operating system. With that said, the company will continue to support older devices, including a national security certification that will make them useful for business projects.
Interestingly, Chen also expressed his thoughts regarding the momentum that the launch of Priv created.
"The question is, does it last?" he says, continuing to remark that, down the road, he remains "confident in profitability this year" despite the circumstances.
BlackBerry is still tying up loose ends for the Priv, and it plans to deliver it to 31 countries in the near future and the entire U.S. market eventually. Currently, the price tag for the smartphone is pegged at $699, and according to Chen, it could be slashed down in due time.
As for the upcoming units, Chen unfortunately did not disclose their availabilities and pricing yet. Needless to say, there are no details of their hardware specifications yet as well.
Back in November, leaks of the BlackBerry Vienna emerged and made the rounds on the Internet, revealing a tall-looking phone with the traditional BlackBerry physical keyboard instead of the slider keyboard as seen ini the Priv.
Based on the images, the device will be fitted with both a rear camera with an LED flash and a front snapper. The microSD and SIM card trays are presumably on the left side, where the charging port is positioned above them.
The power button appears to be on the left side, whereas the volume controls can be spotted on the right side.
Seeing as the Priv could be getting the Android 6.0 Marshmallow update sometime in the first quarter, there's a slim chance that the Vienna could be rocking it at launch too – that is, of course, if the plans for the older sibling push through.
Nevertheless, details were sparse at best then, and they are still so until now, but assuming that the purported renders hold true, it'll also come in a slew of colors, including silver, blue, green and red.
To boil things down, it's a pretty safe bet to assume that the BlackBerry Vienna is about to see the light of day based on the latest developments, opening up even more options for BlackBerry fans who want to see more Android handsets this year. It could also be a good idea to hold off from buying a new smartphone this 2016 for a little while longer.
