The Priv, Blackberry’s highly anticipated Android-based device, hit the virtual shelves of U.S. retailer Wal-Mart this week.
Available online as an unlocked device, the Priv was listed as out of stock on Thursday afternoon. The phone was listed at a retail price of $699.99
Blackberry stocks jumped on the news and were up nearly 7 percent as of 3:45 p.m. Bloomberg reported that earlier in the afternoon Blackberry stocks had gained 11 percent, reaching their highest point since January.
The device was also available Thursday for the same price at Best Buy and Staples and has been available through AT&T stores since Nov. 6. At the start of November, the carrier announced it would offer the device for $24.67 per month for 30 months on the company’s Next installment plan or for $250 up front with a two-year commitment.
Following tradition, the Priv retained Blackberry’s signature qwerty keyboard on a slide out panel. The device also includes a 5.4-inch screen, 18-megapixel camera, 3410 mAh batter and 32GB of storage.
The success of the Priv will be important for Blackberry, which has faced a continued struggle in smartphone sales.
Should the Priv fail to help Blackberry’s smartphone business turn a profit, CEO John Chen has made it clear the company won’t cling to the failing segment.
In November, Chen said the company is already eyeing more acquisitions in software technology in a bid to reach $500 million in software revenue.
Filed Under: Devices
