It’s official, following yesterday’s leak the latest BlackBerry Android device the DTEK50 is now available to pre-order from BlackBerry’s US site.
The name of the phone – DTEK50 – is most likely highlighting their DTEK security software suite included with the phone which automatically monitors your OS and apps for any potential security threats – but the ‘Neon’ code-name they were using would have been a more consumer-friendly. What’s in a name anyway? Would a rose phone by any other name would still smell like a phone?
Released at $299 USD, that’s about $400 AUD before you take into account any perceived ‘Australia Tax’, the device is very competitively priced. At this price the slightly lower specs are understandable, the inclusion of NFC is fantastic, however, the lack of a fingerprint sensor is a shame.
Having used a fingerprint scanner on several current generation devices it completely transforms both the unlocking and app authentication process, when it’s supported that is (come on Authy add fingerprint support). For that price, you also get a bonus 12600mAh BlackBerry Mobile Power Charger, and a good thing too, as the internal battery only holds 2610 mAh.
Here’s a rundown on the full device specifications:
Specifications table not found: blackberry-neon.BlackBerry is of course, pushing their security services and features as a differentiator in the Android OEM space. The Device comes loaded with both the standard Google Play apps as well as a host of BlackBerry’s own apps and services.
As well as the US, the DTEK50 is also going on-sale in Canada, the UK, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, and The Netherlands for$429 CDN, €339, and £275. With the Priv having come to Australia we are hopeful that the DTEK50, may be released here. Blackberry has announced that the phone will be heading to ‘additional global channels and countries will be announced in the coming weeks’. We’ll let you know as soon as they have anything to announce locally.
Are you interested in a mid-tier BlackBerry Android Device? Let us know below.
Not bad specs for a $400 phone. The exclusion of a finger print sensor is not a huge deal and the inclusion of the NFC is more important I think because of Android Pay.
Indeed ! Im very interested in it
I read that it was a rebranded alcatel idol 4. Is this correct ?
The currently released specs of the Idol 4 certainly match up with what we know of the DTEK50. We’ve asked for comment from Blackberry.