Related Articles
BlackBerry is aiming to drum up more interest in its upcoming Android phone with a couple of new video ads.
Released Wednesday, the first ad is more technical as it spotlights a few of the key features in the Priv. The second one shoots for a kinder, gentler approach with a series of dreamlike images designed to convey the security built into the new phone.
The Priv represents a dramatic move for a company that once was king of the corporate smartphone market, but whose market share has dwindled to a fraction of a percent. It traditionally touted its BlackBerry software as the standard in security, but it’s now embracing Google’s Android software in an effort to give its customers wider access to apps and services.
Standing for “privacy” and “privilege,” the Priv is the first BlackBerry phone to adopt Android, Google’s mobile software. John Chen, CEO of the Waterloo, Ontario-based company, has contended that people like BlackBerry phones, but the BlackBerry ecosystem lacks enough apps. The Priv also works the hardware angle, starting with a curved, 5.5-inch display and the traditional physical QWERTY keyboard but one that slides out from the body of the phone.
The first ad plays up the Priv as a secure BlackBerry phone powered by Android. It points to such features as the ability to run Android apps, the BlackBerry Hub for viewing all your communications in one place, pop-up widgets to access your favorite apps and settings. We’re also taken on a tour of the curved screen and slide-out keyboard as well as the phone’s virtual keyboard and 18-megapixel camera.
The ad moves on to stress security and privacy, spotlighting the DTEK feature that monitors your apps and alerts you to any potentially unsecure activity. The second video spot complements the first one with a more personal approach that still emphasizes the key themes of security and privacy.
Priced at $699, the Priv is currently up for preorder and will start shipping on November 6, according to BlackBerry’s online store. With Apple and Samsung dominating the smartphone market, the Priv will likely face challenges gaining traction.
(Via Crackberry)
