BlackBerry Launches $299 DTEK50 As 'World's Most Secure Android Smartphone'

DTEK50 1
Although BlackBerry has definitely seen better days, that isn’t stopping the company from pushing ahead with new Android-based smartphones following the late 2015 launch of its Priv flagship. We’ve known for quite some time that BlackBerry has three new Android devices in development, and the company today announced the first of those devices, the DTEK50, which will be available for $299 unlocked from both T-Mobile and AT&T beginning August 8th.

DTEK50, which was previously known by its "Neon" codename, doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue like Neon. And BlackBerry fans looking for a high-octane, next gen flagship will have to wait a little longer, as the DTEK50 is firmly entrenched in the mid-range market:

  • 5.2-inch 1080p display
  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 617 processor with 3GB RAM
  • 16GB storage plus microSD slot (2TB supported)
  • 13MP main camera, 8MP selfie camera
  • 2610 non-removable battery
  • Quick Charge 2.0
  • Bluetooth 4.2, 802.11ac, NFC, LTE, FM radio
  • microUSB 2.0 charging port

These specs line up exactly with what Evan Blass leaked earlier this month, further bolstering his credibility when it comes to revealing information on unreleased smartphones. But according to Blass, there are at least two more BlackBerry Android smartphones incoming, with the most interesting one being the high-end “Argon”. That smartphone will feature a 5.5-inch QHD display, Snapdragon 820 processor, 4GB RAM, 32GB internal storage, and a 3000 mAh battery (with QuickCharge 3.0 support).

DTEK50 2

An unnamed AT&T exec recently revealed that the aforementioned Priv has been “really struggling” with respect to sales, and BlackBerry CEO John Chen even acknowledged in early April that many of its enterprise customers were put off by the high price of entry for the Priv ($699 unlocked at launch). However, the lofty price tag isn’t a concern any longer as carriers have been dumping the phones onto resellers, who have been peddling the Priv for as low as $300 unlocked in recent months.