AT&T announced that it will be the first U.S. operator to carry the Priv, BlackBerry’s first Android smartphone.
The Priv will be available in retail stores nationwide and online on Friday, Nov. 6.
“You can finally have everything you loved about BlackBerry with the capabilities of Android OS,” said Jeff Bradley, senior vice president of Device Marketing and Developer Services for AT&T Mobility. “This smartphone is a powerhouse with sleek design, seamless productivity, and advanced security features on the nation’s most reliable 4G LTE network.”
The Priv features a slide-out qwerty keyboard, 5.4-inch screen, 18-megapixel camera, 3410 mAh batter and 32GB of storage.
AT&T will offer the Priv for $24.67 per month for 30 months on the the company’s Next installment plan. On a two-year commitment, the Priv comes in at $250 up front.
BlackBerry has high hopes for its first Android device, but CEO John Chen has been clear that the company won’t cling to its devices business if things don’t go as planned.
Chen has said publicly that he hopes to sell 5 million units of the Priv. That could prove challenging, as BlackBerry only sold 800,000 devices in its most recent quarter.