The launch of the first Android phone by BlackBerry did attract attention but then got dwarfed by the many other developments happening so frenetically in the smart phone world. Now BlackBerry is about to launch a second one and this is going to be a high-end device that they hope to bring out in 2016. The BlackBerry PRIV as the first one is known as will have to show significant sales for BlackBerry to go ahead with the second one though. Initial reports are good and BlackBerry also reports a 12% increase in its revenue for the last quarter. After many depressing quarter numbers, the last two quarters of consecutive positive growth has given the company something to cheer about.

BlackBerry PRIV to get into 31 more countries

The BlackBerry PRIV currently is sold only in 8 countries of the US, Germany, Vietnam, the UK, Singapore, Malaysia, Canada and the Philippines. The company hopes to take it to 31 more countries within the next quarter and the UAE is one significant market where they hope for a great response. It hopes to do well in Saudi Arabia as well. The BlackBerry PRIV has been targeted at a segment of the market that looks at the combination of high security features and privacy for its smart devices. Given the superior and proven technology capabilities of BlackBerry, this combination, the company hopes will be a sure winner. This unique combination has already led to better sales and higher revenue numbers for the company. The sliding keyboard feature and the 5.4 inch screen that is similar to the Samsung Galaxy A6 Edge are other positive attributes users have liked about this device.

 BlackBerry security services continues to be a big draw

When it comes to great security and privacy features, BlackBerry has been scoring high consistently over other brands. The Enterprise segment, governments and other institutions have taken gladly to the PRIV, given that Google has not been able to infuse much confidence through their Android models. The PRIV is also Android driven but has the backing of BlackBerry security enhancement. Google and BlackBerry have come together in the past as well and readers will remember Knox, which was a security solution BlackBerry had developed with Samsung on the Android OS. BlackBerry has also been porting its expertise to its rivals like making available the BlackBerry Messenger to Android, Windows and the iOS systems in the past.

What is so special about the PRIV?

It is the secure encryption and preloaded app DTEK that makes the PRIV a unique device. This app monitors and provides regular reports on the applications gaining access to the camera and other personal information of the user. Users are thus secure knowing where information is being accessed, by whom and how much of their privacy is at risk. The PRIV seems to have made a good beginning and if this continues to sustain, the second offering of BlackBerry at a higher price tag may well be on its way in 2016.