John Chen: BlackBerry Z3 has been extremely well received

In a recent interview with India’s Economic Times, BlackBerry CEO John Chen declared that the latest affordable BlackBerry smartphone - the Z3 - has been “extremely well received” both in India, and in Indonesia (two of the first markets where the handset was released). Moreover, John Chen said that there’s continuous strong demand for the Z3, as users reportedly like its screen size, battery life, and price. Unfortunately, exact sales numbers haven't been revealed.

Of course, we already reported that sales of the Z3 were going pretty well (see here and here), but Chen’s confirmation of the device’s success is the ultimate proof that its launch is one of the best things that happened to BlackBerry lately.

When asked if there would be more affordable BlackBerry smartphones in the near future, Chen wasn’t able to provide precise details. Unsurprisingly, though, he confirmed that the company would introduce new devices at various price points. Two of the handsets that the Canadian firm is planning to release later this year are the BlackBerry Passport and BlackBerry Classic - both of which will be significantly more expensive than the Z3 (pictured above).

Regarding BlackBerry’s relationship with Foxconn, which manufactures the Z3, Chen said that this isn’t an exclusive one - meaning that BlackBerry won’t necessarily outsource all smartphone production to the Taiwanese company.

source: The Economic Times