The first smartphone from the company based on Android will start shipping in under two weeks.
The first among the signature BlackBerry PRIV apps for the first smartphone powered by Android that has been made by handset maker have now been uploaded to the Google Play Store.
This has been done in anticipation of the release of the smartphone, which is expected in mid-November.
Among the signature BlackBerry PRIV apps that have already been uploaded to the Play Store are the DTEK for the brand as well as the launcher, keyboard and the camera application. At the moment, it doesn’t appear as though it is possible for people without that specific smartphone to download those mobile apps. Attempts have been reported online and have stated that other device users simply receive a message that says that the apps are not compatible with their devices. This has come as a disappointment to consumers who had been hoping to be able to try out BlackBerry’s keyboard on their own smartphones, for example.
The benefit of the BlackBerry PRIV apps at the moment comes from the descriptions of the features.
The descriptions that have been shared for these mobile apps are now providing those who are curious about the devices with a window into the details of several of the features that would be available in the upcoming smartphone.
The DTEK description provides an especially clear view of the app. Until now, BlackBerry has not provided a great deal of information with regards to its functionality and has said only that this application will make it possible to be able to better manage their smartphone security and safety levels. However, the description that has been posted on Google Play with regards to this signature app has shown a much larger amount of information. It has offered a comprehensive overview of the various permissions that the user must grant to the application that they will have installed onto the PRIV.
Furthermore, those BlackBerry PRIV apps are able to scan the device of the user in order to provide the owner with suggestions with regards to what they can do to better enhance their device security.
Mobile commerce began gaining momentum in China when Alibaba, the country’s leading online merchant, began supporting mobile shopping through its e-commerce store Taobao. Consumers quickly showed strong support for mobile shopping because of its convenient nature. The use of QR codes to initiate mobile transactions is quite popular throughout the country, as consumers can simply scan one of these codes with their smartphones in order to purchase products. Apps like WeChat have become very powerful tools in the retail space, pressuring merchants to become more mobile-centric.