Blackberry is back with 'the world's most secure Android smartphone' - here's what it can do
Physically, the DTEK50 is a rebranded version of another midrange Android phone, the Alcatel Idol 4. That means it has a 5.2-inch, 1080p display...
A good-but-not-great Snapdragon 617 processor, with 3GB of RAM...
There’s also 16GB of storage, which is upgradable through microSD.
A 13-megapixel rear camera, alongside a 8-megapixel front-facing one...
And a 2,610mAh battery that BlackBerry claims will last up to 17 hours with “mixed usage.”
You can see a full list of specs on BlackBerry’s site. Generally speaking, though, it sounds like it should give decent value, even if it’s firmly mid-tier.
It also borrows the Idol’s side-mounted “convenience key,” which you can customize to launch particular apps.
The Idol 4 isn’t out just yet, but last week I reviewed its stronger sibling, the Idol 4s, which features a similar design. Being able to open Chrome or the camera with that button was one of my favorite aspects of that device.
One thing I didn’t like was its slippery glass back, but BlackBerry appears to have fixed that with a more textured material.
There’s no physical keyboard, however.
As with the Priv, the DTEK50 runs a take on Android 6.0 Marshmallow that doesn’t look terribly different from the stock version, but adds a few BlackBerry-made modifications. Most of those are related to security, like the DTEK app.
That was on the Priv as well — essentially, it keeps an eye on your apps, tracks their permissions, and alerts you when one might have potential security concerns.
Beyond that, BlackBerry says it’ll tighten up the OS with additional security patches and an altered boot process, among other measures.
Traditional BlackBerry apps like the BlackBerry Hub inbox and BlackBerry's virtual keyboard are still there, too.
The DTEK50 costs $300 unlocked, and will work on GSM networks like those from T-Mobile and AT&T. It’s available for pre-order today, with shipping set for August 8.
(To compare, the Idol 4 will cost just $200 unlocked, but is exclusive to AT&T’s Cricket Wireless subsidiary.)
Reports late last month said that BlackBerry would release three new Android phones by the end of the year, so this appears to be the first.
While it’s hard to see a rebranded, awkwardly-named phone like this bringing BlackBerry back to general relevance, that lower price could make it a more approachable entry-point for those curious in BlackBerry’s security features.
Just how many people are still curious in the first place, however, is less clear.
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