After almost a year of speculation, leaks and rumours, BlackBerry CEO, John Chen finally announced its all-new flagship Priv smartphone in September 2015. The Priv is a first BlackBerry smartphone to pack in some updated hardware like the Qualcomm Snapdragon 808, but more importantly, it is the first smartphone to be powered by Google’s Android ecosystem.
Considering that this reviewer has used a BlackBerry Bold, a Passport and the recent Classic, there was indeed a lot that one would expect from the Priv. It has got the hardware and now even the capable software chops, thanks to Android. More importantly, it has one big thing that no other BlackBerry has had in the past, complete access to each and every app in Google’s Play Store (no more side-loading like the Passport). Something that BlackBerry fans until now, could only dream about. From Google Maps to Tinder, its all finally in a BlackBerry smartphone.
So with so much hardware and software, there is indeed a lot one can expect. Problem is that this is a BlackBerry. A brand that many iPhone users would refer to as a dinosaur in the age of drones. So will the Priv be able to propel the brand from the stone age and bring it at par with smartphones from the best Android manufacturers today? Let’s find out!
Build Quality: 7/10
The BlackBerry Priv’s design is attractive and has more in common with the Passport, compared to any other BlackBerry smartphone in the past. And we really liked the back, so much so that we will begin with the back instead of the front of the device. Hold the Priv and the texture back with a carbon-fibre-like weave, not only feels durable, but gives a good grip as well.
In fact, we could say that the Priv is one of the more grippy backs compared to flagships we have seen in recent years, that mimic the metal iPhone and are slippery at best. It almost feels like the designers wrapped the metal skin with a cloth like material as it does flex quite a bit when pressed near the BlackBerry logo on the back. The thin back however did pose a problem when it came to the phone’s heating issues (more in the performance section).
Coming to the front, we have a the gorgeous Quad HD display with a dual edge curves on the left and right sides. Around the display, is the only sign of the metal frame that keeps the smartphone together. The rest of it remains hidden under a plastic skin, that merges with the textured cover at the back.
At the top we have the receiver, proximity and ambient light sensors and the front facing camera sitting on either side of the BlackBerry logo, that still feels in place unlike HTC’s that sits at the bottom.
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