BlackBerry's third device since the launch of its re-engineered BlackBerry 10 OS platform, the Q5, will be unveiled in SA within the next two months - and its arrival is expected to drive the company's next-generation platform further into the local market.
The BlackBerry Q5 is positioned to be what the Curve was to BlackBerry 7 OS and, while local pricing details for the phone are still unavailable, the company has released its full specs.
Designed for emerging markets, the Q5 is a mid-range touch-screen qwerty keyboard handset, similar to the hybrid, high-end Q10, but with a few key differences. The Q10 features a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, but has the same amount of RAM as the Q5.
The Q5 has a slightly bigger battery than the Q10 (2180 mAH), but it is a non-removable one - a first for BlackBerry. It uses a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, has 2GB of RAM and 8GB of memory, which can be expanded via a micro SD slot. Unlike the Q10, the Q5 does not have an HDMI port.
The 3.1-inch screen display features a resolution of 720 x 720 (LCD screen) at 329 pixels per inch. The rear-facing camera is a 5MP camera with auto focus and 5x digital zoom, as well as 1080p HD video recording and an LED flash. The front-facing camera is a 2MP camera with 3x digital zoom and 720p HD video recording - ideal for Skype, which the phone is rumoured to ship with.
Other features include assisted, autonomous and simultaneous GPS, Bluetooth 4.0 and, on some models, NFC and LTE. The Q5 will ship with BlackBerry 10.1, the company's latest operating system.
Michael Clewley, BlackBerry's director of handheld software product management, says the company worked hard to ensure the Q5 would bring users the same BlackBerry 10 experience as its high-end counterparts, the Q10 and the all-touch-screen Z10.
"We wanted to make sure that Q5 users would have the same experience with BlackBerry 10 features like Peek, Flow and Hub and, bringing the phone to a price-sensitive market, means that we can drive the next-generation platform even further."
While BlackBerry said last week the Q5 was set to enter emerging markets, including SA, in July, Telkom Mobile says it expects availability from as early as 1 June. Vodacom has confirmed it will stock the phone, but has not given any indication as to when. Operators say pricing will be made available in due course.
On target
Arthur Goldstuck, MD of World Wide Worx, says the Q5 meets the biggest need BlackBerry has in the South African market, and other developing markets. "While the Z10 and Q10 have been excellent follow-up phones for high-end users wanting to stick to BlackBerry, they did not address the company's biggest audience in developing markets."
Goldstuck says his first reaction to the high-end Q10 was that Africa needed an equivalent phone at the Curve price level. "The Q5 is that phone."
Going by the specs, he says, the Q5 will help BlackBerry hold onto the market that fell in love with the Curve.
"While BIS is no longer part of the deal, the huge appeal of BBM has been enhanced by voice and video conversation. In effect, it makes voice calls free while in a WiFi area. While you can do the same with Skype and other apps on a new BlackBerry, they aren't as well integrated with an instant messaging platform as BBM."
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