Unveiling BlackBerry Priv: Is This A Game Changer Against iPhone 6s, Galaxy S6 and Others?

The much-awaited BlackBerry Priv, BlackBerry’s latest offering to the bustling smartphone market, is out! The ‘Priv’, derived from ‘Private’, gives you an immediate preview into the unique selling point of this newbie – a massive emphasis on privacy. With these modern times requiring us to constantly stay protected against invasive tech and regulatory threats to privacy, ‘Priv’ might just be the perfect choice.

The new BlackBerry Priv, an Android device, carries on BlackBerry’s now-classic design of a neatly tucked away keypad that slides out as per your need. While the phone comes equipped with the predictable host of features we’ve seen from this year’s range of smartphones, it does indeed carry a unique twist. Amid an era where tech companies worldwide are prompted to look for ways to preserve users’ privacy against government interference, BlackBerry introduces the DTEK system. This high-security system alerts users whenever an app peeps into their private data, such as their location or access to their camera – especially when it hasn’t been authorized. It’s an initiative that resonates with Apple CEO Tim Cook’s assurance that not even Apple could access encrypted data on its devices.

Here’s a brief preview of how the DTEK system functions to help safeguard user privacy. First, it ‘Monitors’ your smartphone usage, letting you visualise your device’s security. Accordingly, it assigns an overall rating of ‘Excellent’, ‘Fair’, or ‘Poor’, keeping track of all your apps usage patterns in the background.

In the ‘Alert’ phase, it notifies the user whenever an app accesses sensitive functionality, thereby enabling user awareness and protection. You can tweak these alerts and notifications as per your trust levels with different apps and particular functionalities.

Lastly, through the ‘Control’ feature, DTEK aids in advancing your device’s security. For example, it helps you enable a screen lock, enhance malware protection, or activate Factory Reset Protection, deterring theft and accidental data wipes.

Could this be the magic potion that revitalizes BlackBerry’s standing in the international smartphone race? Although BlackBerry has been losing market share in recent years, it still had a cash reserve of $3 billion at the end of the last quarter. This may fuel them to dabble in various innovative ventures and services countering other titan competitors like Apple with liquid asset hoards of $206 billion.

The Priv comes in as a first-of-a-kind Android offering with unrestricted access to Google Play Store’s exhaustive app database. However, CEO John Chen’s conservative sales projections of only 5 million units for the first year indicate a slow and steady strategy. Comparatively, Apple sold 47 million units in the quarter ending June 2015 alone.

One cannot miss the undeniable allure of BlackBerry’s unrivaled security system, coupled with Android’s universal user base. But the unquestionable success of apps like WhatsApp (boasting over 900 million users) and Snapchat have gradually rendered the BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) less attractive, a feature that was once the heart of BlackBerry’s offering.

Nevertheless, a tightly knit combination of cutting-edge security by BlackBerry and Android’s ubiquitous operating system may just give Priv the edge it needs. With a robust mechanism to verify the genuineness of the installed OS, Priv guarantees an uncompromised user experience.

Priced at $700 (or 139K Naira / 71K KES), the BlackBerry Priv might not be for everyone. It aims to cater to a demographic that values data privacy and is willing to pay a premium for it. With the BlackBerry-Android alliance and the distinct DTEK feature, the Priv can draw in a considerable number of BlackBerry loyalists. We can only wait and see how efficiently it can lure new customers and make a breakthrough in congested markets.

In conclusion, BlackBerry’s venture into the hybrid zone of Android OS with its innate superlative security features in the form of Priv, may set a successful precedent or provide ground-breaking lessons for future endeavours. Only time can tell us its fate.