The BlackBerry Q5 handset is finally official. Expected to be a huge hit, the device was announced Tuesday at the BlackBerry Live 2013 at Orlando. Check out the details after the jump.
Intended to target emerging markets, this budget phone comes with a 3.1-inch touchscreen and QWERTY keyboard similar to the classic BlackBerry Curve. It runs on BlackBerry OS 10.1, with 8GB internal storage, 2GB memory, and a dual-core CPU running under the hood. Interested buyers can choose between four colors: black, red, white, and pink.
The physical look and feel are rather similar to the classic Curve models, although the materials used are cheaper than what’s used in Blackberry’s current flagship device, the premium Blackberry Q10. For instance, the Blackberry Q5’s build is made of plastic, making the device slippery and prone to fingerprints. The buttons also lacked the chiseled design that allows for faster typing.
Among the software features included are the BlackBerry Messenger and video conferencing capabilities. The social app is found to be popular among developing Asian countries, and such feature will be used to catch the attention of younger users. Responses to finger swipes and commands appear to be smooth, the same fluidity that the more expensive Blackberry Z10 and Q10 have.
BlackBerry Q5 Specs
- Blackberry 10.1 OS
- 3.1-inch IPS LCD display, 720×720 pixel resolution, 328ppi
- Qualcomm Snapdragon Krait 1.2GHz dual-core
- Adreno 305 graphics
- 2GB RAM
- 8GB internal storage, support up to 64GB via microSD card
- 5-megapixel autofocus rear camera
- 2-megapixel front-facing camera
- HSPA+ 21Mbps, LTE 50/100Mbps
- WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
- NFC
- GPS, A-GPS support
- Bluetooth 4.0
- Dimensions: 120mm x 66mm x 10.8mm
- Weight: 120g
- Li-Ion 2100mAh battery
Related: Blackberry 10 devices Z10 and Q10 Announced
Although no details on pricing have been released, the BlackBerry Q5 is scheduled to be available in the emerging markets as early as July. These markets include Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Latin America, and Africa. The Canadian company is currently striving to recover the market share it lost from current smartphone giants — mainly, Samsung and Apple — in the US and other western markets. However, it also sees opportunity in emerging markets where smartphones have yet to reach saturation levels. We’ll let you know once we get some details on the price of Blackberry Q5.
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