BlackBerry launches Passport Silver Edition: Unlocked version available for $549

BlackBerry launched a new version of its Passport smartphone i.e. the BlackBerry Passport Silver Edition on August 4. The latest iteration will be available in silver color shade and will sport a premium look.

The Passport Silver Edition’s unlocked version can be purchased from BlackBerry’s official webpage for $549 (AU$ 745). As part of the limited period offer, first few buyers will get accessories worth $130 (AU$ 176), free of charge. The new smartphone will be available in the coming weeks in the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands, according to reports.

The new Passport Silver Edition will feature a stainless steel frame and in terms of specifications, there are no discrepancies between the new model and the original black Passport. The phone that runs on BlackBerry OS 10.3.2 gets the same 4.5-inch 1,440x1,440 square touchscreen and will feature 3GB RAM, 32GB of expandable storage, Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 SoC with 2.26 GHz quad-core Krait CPU, 13 MP rear camera with OIS and LED flash, the 2 MP front camera and the 3,450 mAh battery, reports GSM Arena.

The New OS

The BlackBerry Passport Silver Edition will run on the updated BlackBerry OS 10.3.2, which features BlackBerry Assistant. It can be used with voice and text commands to allow users manage email, contacts, your calendar and other activities. Besides that, it will allow users to transfer files from the phone to your PC and vice versa, reports PC Mag. The Canadian smartphone maker is also considering rolling out Android based smartphones named "Prague" and "Venice."

Will Passport Silver Edition Make Things Work For BlackBerry?

Since few years, BlackBerry has been going through tough time in the smartphone market as it lost a substantial chunk of its market share to devices running on iOS and Android platforms. According to a Reuters report, Blackberry now holds a market share of less than one percent. BlackBerry had evaded Android as it believed that its BlackBerry 10 line of phones would be able to get back its market share that it had lost to Apple’s iPhone and other devices powered by the Android platform.

According to Scott Wenger, BlackBerry’s Global Design Head, the Passport Silver Edition combines BlackBerry's latest OS platform with enhanced productivity features along with a refined industrial design, which is largely based on customer and user feedback. Now it remains to be seen, whether BlackBerry will be able to get its fortune back with its latest product?

Contact the writer at feedback@ibtimes.com.au or let us know what you think below.