The BlackBerry Classic launched yesterday, featured a number of partners, business luminaries and BlackBerry executives – as well as the unveiling of this long-awaited productivity tool.
Watch the 2-minute video below from the event itself, which featured testimonials from customers eager for the return of a Classic, albeit, upgraded.
Following the launch of the BlackBerry Classic in New York, BlackBerry has now announced the BlackBerry Classic for Singapore as well. In Singapore, the device is available now through all of BlackBerry’s major Singapore operators.
The BlackBerry Classic went live in Canada through Virgin Mobile so, it will not be long before we see it in European countries.
Although familiar in appearance, BlackBerry Classic upgrades the BlackBerry® Bold 9900 experience with:
Three times faster browser
60 percent more screen space
50 percent longer battery life
Greater variety of applications through BlackBerry World and the Amazon Appstore
Faster Browsing
With browsing that is up to 3x faster than BlackBerry Bold 9900, and top-ranked rendering of modern web sites, the BlackBerry Classic helps you navigate the web. Upgraded.
Improved Battery
For people on the go, battery life is paramount. The 2515 mAh battery in the BlackBerry Classic provides up to 22 hours of mixed use – 50 percent longer than BlackBerry Bold 9900.
Larger Screen
The BlackBerry Classic has a screen that is 60 percent larger than the BlackBerry Bold 9900, allowing you to read more emails, see more apps and take advantage of faster browsing.
BlackBerry Classic Specs
Dimensions come in at 131 x 72.5 x 10.2mm and the BlackBerry Classic weighs in at 178g. On the front there’s a 3.46in LTPS TFT display with a 720 x 720 pixel resolution. That works out at 294ppi. A traditional 35-key backlit physical keyboard sits along the bottom half of the device and at the top of this layout is an optical trackpad.
Under the hood is a Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8960 chipset with dual-core Krait architecture at 1.5GHz, a chipset that is now, admittedly, getting a little old. There is also 2GB of RAM and 16GB of in-built storage with microSD support of up to 128GB.
On the back is an 8MP camera capable of 1080p video whilst on the front is a 2MP version with 720p video. We know for sure there is a nanoSIM slot, NFC connectivity, and microUSB with SlimPort, but it’s currently unclear whether it will be capable of LTE 4G connectivity.
There are three microphones placed around the device to help out with noise cancellation. The battery powering it all is non-removable and comes in at 2515mAh.
All in all, on paper it looks a little disappointing compared to what we were expecting. It isn’t far off from the BlackBerry Q10 with only a few minor improvements in the battery department and the microSD support.
UK online retailer Clove Technology are reporting that the first stock of the Classic is due in early January, and will be selling it SIM free for £282.50 + VAT (339 including).
Show Press Release
Show Press Release
BlackBerry Launches the BlackBerry Classic in Singapore
New Device Available Today Through All Major Singapore Operator Partners
Responds to Customer Demand for a Familiar QWERTY Design Merged with the Security and Speed of BlackBerry 10 for Superior Productivity, Communications and Collaboration
SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE–(Marketwired – Dec. 17, 2014) – BlackBerry Limited (NASDAQ:BBRY)(TSX:BB), a global leader in mobile communications, today launched the BlackBerry® Classic™ in Singapore. The no-nonsense smartphone built to meet the needs of productive people who appreciate the speed and accuracy that can be found with a physical QWERTY keyboard is available island-wide through each of the three major network operators, M1, SingTel and StarHub.
Cameron Vernest, Managing Director, Singapore & The Philippines, BlackBerry, said: “We’re delighted our three loyal partners, M1, SingTel and StarHub, are now selling BlackBerry Classic so our mutual customers across Singapore can benefit from the powerful communications experience BlackBerry Bold and Curve users have been waiting for. BlackBerry Classic is a secure device that feels familiar in their hands, with the added performance and agility they need to be competitive in today’s busy world.”
Although familiar in appearance, BlackBerry Classic upgrades the BlackBerry® Bold 9900 experience with:
Three times faster browser
60 percent more screen space
50 percent longer battery life
Greater variety of applications through BlackBerry World and the Amazon Appstore
Top features of the BlackBerry Classic that drive productivity, communications and collaboration include:
BlackBerry® Keyboard & Trackpad – The QWERTY keyboard has stood the test of time as the iconic BlackBerry feature that users know and trust. Crafted for optimal speed and accuracy, the BlackBerry Classic’s QWERTY keyboard gives users the control and confidence to communicate quickly and clearly using one hand with a trackpad and classic navigation keys.
BlackBerry® Browser – The BlackBerry 10 web browser is amazingly fast and astoundingly beautiful. That’s why HTML5TEST.com rates it amongst the top mobile browsers for web fidelity.* Access your favorite online content as it was meant to be seen, faster than ever before and with unlimited browser tabs.
Screen & Battery – The BlackBerry Classic offers a form factor optimized for power communicators with a 3.5-inch touch screen display, 294 dpi HD resolution and Corning® Gorilla® Glass 3 for greater durability. The BlackBerry Classic also offers a large battery capacity and state-of-the-art battery optimization software. With up to 22 hours of battery power, you can be confident that BlackBerry Classic will be ready to deliver results when you need it.**
Premium Components – The device is built with durable materials mixed with top-of-the-line technology. This includes a 1.5 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon Processor, 2GB RAM, 16GB of device storage (expandable by up to 128GB via uSD), and a 2MP front- and 8MP rear-facing camera with enhanced optics and upgraded imaging sensors.
BlackBerry® 10 OS 10.3.1 – The BlackBerry Classic comes preloaded with the BlackBerry 10.3.1 operating system, offering a fresh look that incorporates updated icons and an instant action bar so that each user’s most commonly accessed functions are in the center of their screen. With this new operating system, users gain access to powerful features, including:
BlackBerry® Blend – BlackBerry Blend brings messaging and content that is on your BlackBerry smartphone to your computer and tablet. Get instant message notifications, read and respond to your work and personal email, BBM™ and text messages, and access your documents, calendar, contacts and media in real time on whatever device you are on, powered by your BlackBerry.
BlackBerry® Assistant – The BlackBerry Assistant is BlackBerry’s first digital assistant and can be used with voice and text commands to help users manage work and personal email, contacts, calendar and other native BlackBerry 10 applications. It’s the only smartphone assistant on the market today that can access both personal and work content in your work perimeter. BlackBerry Assistant intelligently determines how to respond to you based on how you interact with it – if you type, it responds silently, if you speak, it speaks back and if you activate over Bluetooth, it speaks back with additional context because it assumes you might not have access to the screen.
Dual app storefronts for a wealth of professional and popular apps:
BlackBerry World – BlackBerry World showcases essential productivity apps for business professionals looking to drive efficient communications and collaboration.
Amazon Appstore – Preloaded on BlackBerry Classic, users can access popular Android apps and games through the Amazon Appstore including Candy Crush Saga, Pinterest, Kindle for Android and Cut the Rope 2. Users can also scan Android apps for malware and privacy issues prior to installation using BlackBerry Guardian.
BlackBerry® Hub – The one place to manage all your conversations – email, texts, BBM, phone calls, social media and more. You can even glance at what’s next in your calendar. It’s always available with a single swipe to help you stay organized, in control and on top of all your conversations.
BlackBerry Classic is built on BlackBerry’s renowned secure operating system, with built-in protection against viruses, tampering and data leaks. The BlackBerry Classic is private by default, protecting users with encrypted email, web browsing and BBM.
Singapore partners show their support for BlackBerry Classic
The BlackBerry Classic is now available through each of Singapore’s main network operators and other authorized retail outlets.
P. Subramaniam, Chief Marketing Officer, M1, said: “We are pleased to work with BlackBerry to bring back the productivity tool of choice of many savvy, driven M1 customers. The BlackBerry Classic and its great physical keyboard will definitely make road warriors even more productive on the go.”
Johan Buse, VP of Consumer Marketing, SingTel, said: “We are pleased to be offering the BlackBerry Classic, a great device that harnesses the power of our extensive 4G LTE-Advanced network to provide a combination of fantastic functionality and the best mobile coverage to our customers.”
Chan Kin Hung, Senior Vice President of Mobility, StarHub, said: “We are pleased to offer the new BlackBerry Classic, which will give our BlackBerry customers more choices in BlackBerry devices that best meet their mobile productivity needs and preferences over StarHub’s 4G LTE-Advanced network, and the largest 4G roaming coverage in Singapore. BlackBerry Classic, which delivers the tested and proven BlackBerry experience with enhanced hardware and software capabilities, provides a very attractive choice for customers looking to upgrade their existing BlackBerry device.”
For more information, please visit www.BlackBerry.com/Classic.
Data taken from HTML5TEST.com from January, 2013 to July 22, 2014 and compares the latest builds for this duration for Android, Chrome, Firefox, iOS and Windows. **Based on GSMA PRD TW.09 Battery Life Measurement Technique and a mixed usage scenario. Many factors affect battery life, including network connectivity, application usage, feature configuration and battery age. Actual results may vary.
About BlackBerry
A global leader in mobile communications, BlackBerry® revolutionized the mobile industry when it was introduced in 1999. Today, BlackBerry aims to inspire the success of our millions of customers around the world by continuously pushing the boundaries of mobile experiences. Founded in 1984 and based in Waterloo, Ontario, BlackBerry operates offices in North America, Europe, Middle East and Africa, Asia Pacific and Latin America. The Company trades under the ticker symbols “BB” on the Toronto Stock Exchange and “BBRY” on the NASDAQ. For more information, visit www.BlackBerry.com.
Senior Editor
Been involved in technology for many years, more than I care to remember. Live in Dundee, Scotland. I like Android, Windows Phone OS, BlackBerry OS and iOS, and love writing about all things techie. Currently have a Honor 6+, Elephone P6000, Nexus 5, Chrombook C720, HTC One M7, Nokia Lumina 625, Microsoft Lumia 435, Blackberry Q10, HTC Hero and iPad mini
The BlackBerry Classic launched yesterday, featured a number of partners, business luminaries and BlackBerry executives – as well as the unveiling of this long-awaited productivity tool.
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