Chen: BlackBerry 10 "far from dead"; Android powered "Vienna" to launch in 2016

BlackBerry CEO John Chen took over the Inside BlackBerry blog today to write that the BlackBerry 10 OS is far from dead. The executive notes that the platform will receive security and privacy enhancements in 2016. He adds that BlackBerry 10.3.3 will be certified for NIAP compliance, which means that it will pass the hardest government based security tests. Chen said that another update to BlackBerry 10 scheduled for this year will take the platform to 10.3.4, bringing even more security enhancements to the OS.

While this is all well and good for those rocking the BlackBerry Passport, BlackBerry Classic or other BlackBerry 10 devices, new hardware loaded with the OS is not on the roadmap. Speaking of which, Chen says that when ready, BlackBerry will share its roadmap to media and consumers. He did say that another Android powered phone is coming this year. That most likely will be the BlackBerry Vienna.


Images of the Vienna show that it has a physical QWERTY on the bottom of the phone that is always available for use. In other words, the Vienna doesn't have a slider mechanism that covers up the keyboard when you're not using it. The pictures we have of the handset show that it doesn't have the premium build that the Priv has, so we expect it to be priced lower than the $699.99 that the device remains priced at. According to Chen, that price will be coming down, possibly as soon as next month.


source: BlackBerry via Crackberry