It looks like there will be no official announcement from BlackBerry about the launch of the BlackBerry Priv, at least no normal announcement in the fashion that we are used to.
At this juncture, it also appears there will be no official launch event for the BlackBerry Priv either.
Considering that this is the first ever smartphone produced by BlackBerry that runs the Android operating system, both of these facts are a bit baffling.
While the Priv has been available to pre-order in the UK from Carphone Warehouse since last week, today BlackBerry opened up up pre-orders for the android-powered smartphone from ShopBlackBerry for users in the UK, US and Canada.
Instead of any formal announcement via press release etc, BlackBerry CEO John Chen has simply taken to the BlackBerry blog to officially announce the BlackBerry Priv.
“BlackBerry is the most trusted maker of secure hardware and software in the world today. World leaders including U.S. President Barack Obama, UK Prime Minister David Cameron, German Prime Minister Angela Merkel, leading government agencies, and the biggest businesses all depend on us.
I committed that we would release an Android phone only if we could make it, like everything else we produce: secure. We have –Â and so today is that day.
I’m proud to announce the world’s first BlackBerry smartphone powered by Android, PRIV, is available for pre-order today.
PRIV will be the solution for smartphone users who are learning daily of the lack of privacy they have on their current devices. PRIV will be the answer for former BlackBerry users who miss the physical keyboard but want more apps. And we’re responding to current , and prospective, BlackBerry users who need it all: choice, innovation, security, privacy and productivity.”
While BlackBerry are trying to save every penny that they can, that would perhaps explain why they are not having any launch event. Any event would cost money and BlackBerry could quite possibly save several hundred thousand dollars by skipping any media launch event.
However, that perception would give the wrong impression to anybody who was considering purchasing the smartphone.
There is no doubt that the BlackBerry Priv is generating a huge amount of interest due to the fact that it is an android smartphone by BlackBerry and the fact that it has a physical sliding keyboard. Assuming that interest will automatically correspond to sales would be a huge mistake for the company to assume.
The BlackBerry Passport generated a huge amount of pre-launch interest due to it’s innovative form factor but that interest turned out to be more curiosity than sales and the device failed to generate the sales that BlackBerry were hoping for.
The BlackBerry Priv is without a doubt an innovative device which I previously covered here. However, BlackBerry need to market the device. The Priv is a hugely important device for BlackBerry to release and why they seem to be doing it without any major announcement or launch event is a bit of a mystery.
It very much looks like BlackBerry will be simply relying on the BlackBerry Priv marketing itself.
