New updates added to the company’s secure Android smartphone
Singapore – April 27, 2016 – BlackBerry Limited (NASDAQ: BBRY; TSX: BB), a global leader in secure mobile communications, has released the Android 6.0 Marshmallow (M) mobile operating system for PRIV, the first-ever BlackBerry smartphone fully powered by Android. PRIV with Android M is coming soon to major carriers offering the smartphone. Existing PRIV users will be able to upgrade to Android M by downloading the software update on their device.
Android Marshmallow on PRIV brings users more ways to improve their mobile security by providing new opportunities to monitor and control privacy with its unique DTEK app. Users will obtain greater productivity through enhancements to the BlackBerry keyboard, BlackBerry Hub, BlackBerry launcher and battery performance. Updates to the BlackBerry camera will foster their creativity.
“PRIV by BlackBerry is the most secure Android device in the market and we continue to find ways to further enhance users’ security and privacy by adding new features with the Marshmallow operating system update,” said John Chen, Executive Chairman and CEO, BlackBerry.
Raising the Standard for Privacy and Security
Building on BlackBerry’s legacy of security and keeping customer data private, DTEK by BlackBerry has been updated to empower users with more ways to monitor and control their privacy – better protecting PRIV from malware, hacks and data breaches.
Customised Personal Data Permissions – Apps demand access to personal data, even when it’s not necessary for the app to function properly. DTEK gives the power back to users to control what to share and when. Turn permissions off at any time and still continue to use the app.
Improved Notification Settings – Users will only be shown notification controls for sensors that a given app has specifically requested access to. For example, if an application does not request microphone it will not appear in the list.
S/MIME Support – The new S/MIME feature in BlackBerry Hub adds another level of security by allowing users to digitally sign and encrypt their emails.
Enhanced BlackBerry Keyboard
The BlackBerry Keyboard has been updated to provide better predictive typing, accuracy, and control.
More Emoji – Users now have access to over 200 new and updated emojis.
New Gesture Typing – The new swipe capability allows users to slide their fingers from key to key to enter words on the virtual and/or physical keyboard.
Enhanced Word Prediction – Better word predictions anticipate the next word based on where users place their fingers on keys. Predictive typing now also learns words with numbers and provides better name suggestions based on a user’s contacts.
Better Cursor Control – Activate “Cursor Control” mode on the physical keyboard for easier positioning and control. Tapping a key on the physical keyboard more accurately places the focus cursor on screen.
Know What You Want, When You Want
Customised notifications to better organise apps and manage productivity with a touch of a button.
Mute Indicator – Users can now see the phone’s mute status at a glance via the floating phone indicator that appears when a call is active. Green for when call is active and not muted, yellow for when a call is active and currently muted.
New Apps in BlackBerry Hub – Staying connected with friends has never been simpler. Now view notifications from app favorites Instagram, Skype, Slack and Pinterest directly in BlackBerry Hub to easily manage all messages in one place.
Updated BlackBerry Launcher – Better organise apps and widgets into Recent, Personal, and Work sections. Pop-up Widgets are now turned on by default for new users. Set a default home screen, delete a home screen, and remove apps with a flick.
More Battery Life
Get even more out of PRIV with updates to further improve the battery life. When PRIV is at rest, Doze automatically puts the device into a sleep state to increase standby battery life. The App Standby feature will keep infrequently used apps from impacting the battery life.
Engage Your Creative Side
Added tools help customers capture the perfect image with ease and add their own creative flair.
Capture Professional and Cinematic Quality Videos – Record videos at 24fps in 4k, 1080p or 720p, for high-quality footage to share on social media.
Slow Motion Video* – Capture smooth slow motion video with the PRIV’s camera that’s up to four times slower. Capture video at 120 fps, which plays back smoothly at 30 fps. The slow motion effect can be applied after taking the video and can be applied to all or any portion of the video.
* Audio is not enabled for slow-motion video at this time.
For more information on PRIV, go to BlackBerry.com/PRIV. Follow all updates to PRIV on the Inside BlackBerry blog (blogs.BlackBerry.com). A full list of Android 6.0 Marshmallow updates can be found at: https://www.android.com/intl/en_ca/versions/marshmallow-6-0/
