Before BlackBerry's first Android-run smartphone hit the market, it was reported that the Priv will only be available on AT&T and T-Mobile. However, it seems that there would be no exclusivity on the new BlackBerry smartphone as another mobile carrier giant, Verizon, has hinted that the new Android device will also be available to its subscribers.
In a Twitter post, Verizon Wireless teased its fans that those looking for a secure Android smartphone, the BlackBerry Priv will be "coming soon" for Verizon subscribers. The mobile carrier even mimicked BlackBerry's earlier strategy, with the company only releasing updates to subscribed fans instead of announcing the release schedule outright.
BlackBerry has long been known to provide secure digital connections. Indeed, some of the signature selling points of its previous smartphones and tablet are the professional-level security options, from simple app passwords to data encryption. However, BlackBerry also has its own platform. Most owners switched from BlackBerry in favor of the more-popular iOS and Android-run mobile devices.
With BlackBerry releasing an Android-run flagship, the company had admitted that it needs to adapt to the more popular mobile OS. Some observers have even called it as a "make-or-break" effort by the Canada-based company.
However, one of the features of the BlackBerry Priv is that the company has preferred unlocked versions, and the variant is currently selling for $699. On its specs sheet, an unlocked BlackBerry Priv is only adaptable to GSM networks. In the U.S., the Priv is already supported on LTE-capable AT&T and T-Mobile carriers, and AT&T itself has listed its own customized version of the Priv.
Although both BlackBerry and Verizon still have to confirm the details, the teaser of the mobile carrier is already synonymous to an announcement. According to The Verge, BlackBerry must have made a second variant of the Priv, this time compatible with CDMA networks like Verizon.
