BlackBerry Passport
optical image stabilization | |
Front camera | 2 megapixels, 720p video capture |
---|---|
Connectivity | |
Data inputs | keyboard with touchpad |
Other | Accelerometer, Ambient light sensor, Gyroscope, Magnetometer, Proximity sensor |
The BlackBerry Passport is a phablet developed by BlackBerry Limited. Officially released on September 24, 2014, the Passport is inspired by its namesake and incorporates features designed to make the device attractive to enterprise users, such as a unique square-shaped display measuring 4.5 inches diagonally, a compact physical keyboard with touchpad gestures, and the latest release of the company's BlackBerry 10 operating system.
Reception to the Passport was mixed; critics praised the quality of the device's design, screen, and keyboard for meeting the company's goals of creating a business-oriented device, along with an improved application selection through the integration of
Development
In January 2014, BlackBerry Limited's new CEO John Chen indicated that, following the unsuccessful launch of BlackBerry 10 and its accompanying, consumer-oriented touchscreen devices (such as the BlackBerry Z10), along with the company's major loss of market share to competing smartphones such as Android devices and the iPhone line, the company planned to shift its focus back towards the enterprise market as part of its restructuring plan, and primarily manufacture phones that feature physical keyboards.[1] In June 2014, Chen publicly teased two of the company's upcoming models, the BlackBerry Passport—a phablet with a square display, along with a successor to the Q10 known as the BlackBerry Classic, incorporating the array of navigation keys featured on past BlackBerry OS devices.[2][3]
The company's return to a business-oriented focus influenced the design and functionality of the Passport; the overall design of the device was designed to evoke a similar form to its
Development of the Passport began in 2013; while even Chen himself was hesitant about the device due to its unusual form factor, he decided to allow continued development of the Passport, believing that it carried unique design qualities in comparison to other, competing smartphones.
BlackBerry announced plans to release the Passport in over 30 countries by the end of 2014; following the event, unlocked models of the Passport were made available for purchase on BlackBerry's website in Canada, France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States. Telus in Canada and AT&T in the United States were announced as the first two North American carriers to offer the Passport.[8]
Specifications
The BlackBerry Passport has dimensions similar to that of an
The Passport features a square-shaped 4.5-inch
The Passport is preloaded with BlackBerry 10.3, the latest version of BlackBerry's operating system.[8] The new version features a refreshed interface, a personal digital assistant known as BlackBerry Assistant, and other new features. Alongside BlackBerry World for native applications, 10.3 also includes the third-party Amazon Appstore, offering Android apps that can run on the Passport.[8][11][12]
Reception
The BlackBerry Passport received mixed reviews. Nate Ralph of CNET was positive in regards of the Passport, praising the quality of the Passport's display for meeting BlackBerry's stated goals of providing a display optimized primarily for reading and editing documents, and its keyboard for having a good quality, a "spacious typing experience", and unique touch gestures. The operating system was also praised for its performance, and for providing a better selection of apps through the Amazon Store, although the Assistant was panned for being slower than its competitors, and it was also noted that some apps (particularly Android games) might not be optimized well for the Passport's square screen. However, he believed that BlackBerry had gone "a step too far" in its attempt to design a device specifically for the enterprise market, noting that the size of the device made it difficult to use one-handed in comparison to competing phablets, concluding that the company's "myopic focus on text and productivity comes at the cost of creating a device as pleasant to hold as it would be to use, and that decision keeps the Passport from eclipsing its well-rounded peers."[13]
Dan Seifert of
Joanna Stern of the
Sales
In the two days following its official launch, 200,000 Passports were sold, and pre-order stock on both Amazon and BlackBerry's websites was sold out within 10 hours.[16] BlackBerry Passport was launched in India in October 2013 and is available in India from 10 October onwards.
References
- ^ "BlackBerry Returns to Keyboard Roots Under New CEO". Bloomberg. Retrieved 25 September 2014.
- ^ "BlackBerry CEO shows off new Passport and Classic phones". GSMArena. Retrieved 25 September 2014.
- ^ "BlackBerry Classic, formerly the BlackBerry Q20, headed for release this November says John Chen". PhoneArena. Retrieved 26 September 2014.
- ^ a b "With Passport, BlackBerry bets on 'polarizing' device". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 25 September 2014.
- ^ a b "BlackBerry Passport: Breaking Design Boundaries". Inside BlackBerry. BlackBerry Limited. Retrieved 26 September 2014.
- ^ "BlackBerry unveils Passport aimed at 'power professionals'". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 25 September 2014.
- ^ "Just Try Bending Our Phone, BlackBerry CEO Says in Apple Jab". Bloomberg Businessweek. 24 September 2014. Retrieved 25 September 2014.
- ^ a b c d e "BlackBerry Passport With 4.5-Inch Square Display, BB10.3 OS Launched". NDTV. Retrieved 26 September 2014.
- ^ "The BlackBerry Passport Re-Invents the Mobile Keyboard. Here's How". Inside BlackBerry. BlackBerry Limited. Retrieved 26 September 2014.
- ^ a b c d "BlackBerry Passport review: Getting stuff done or getting in the way?". The Verge. Retrieved 26 September 2014.
- ^ "18 Planned End User Features in BlackBerry 10.3 OS". Inside BlackBerry. BlackBerry Limited. Retrieved 26 September 2014.
- ^ "BlackBerry will bring thousands of apps from Amazon's store to its phones". The Verge. Retrieved 18 June 2014.
- ^ "BlackBerry Passport review: A powerful, cumbersome love letter to physical keyboard fans". CNET. Retrieved 26 September 2014.
- ^ "BlackBerry Passport Review: Back to Square One". Wall Street Journal. 24 September 2014. Retrieved 26 September 2014.
- ^ "BlackBerry's Passport is a square in looks, but not personality". Engadget. Retrieved 29 September 2014.
- ^ "BlackBerry Passport Pre-Orders Sold Out After Two Days". Fast Company. 26 September 2014. Retrieved 26 September 2014.