MONTREAL, Canada: BlackBerry is going to launch its latest smartphone with a square 4.5-inch screen and physical keyboard at events in Dubai, London and Toronto.
Company’s Chief Executive John Chen has said that the BlackBerry Passport would be priced at $599 without a contract in the United States. The price is slightly below the contract-free price of Apple’s new iPhone and high-end smartphones from Samsung.
The Passport launch follows the failure of devices on the BlackBerry 10 platform to gain traction, and a management shake-up last year aimed at stemming massive losses.
Last December, BlackBerry unveiled a manufacturing partnership with Taiwan-based Foxconn and a revamped organizational structure.