BlackBerry Quietly, Announces The BlackBerry Z30

Struggling phone giant, BlackBerry has announced the BlackBerry Z10 successor, the BlackBerry Z30, which happens to be the biggest BlackBerry yet.
According to BlackBerry’s official blog

I’m pleased to introduce you to the new BlackBerry Z30 smartphone. It is our biggest, fastest and most advanced smartphone, and easily my favorite BlackBerry smartphone to date.

In addition to its stunning 5” touchscreen, the biggest ever on a BlackBerry smartphone, it features BlackBerry 10 OS version 10.2 and is packed with new features designed to enhance the BlackBerry 10 experience. I use the BlackBerry Z30 to keep me connected and in control while on the go. As you know, I’m always sharing and collaborating on social media and I find that the BlackBerry Z30 is ideal for this. And it has the largest battery yet on a BlackBerry smartphone, so I’ve got power to get me through. With the large screen and intuitive features, I’m able to be more productive and better in-touch with those I care about.

Below you’ll find a promo video showing off the device and a rundown of the best new features in the BlackBerry Z30.

Features:

The new BlackBerry Z30 smartphone comes with BlackBerry 10 OS version 10.2, which includes hundreds of refinements plus many new features that help you be more productive. Among key features are:

BlackBerry Priority Hub – BlackBerry Hub is the one place to manage all your conversations and notifications. The new BlackBerry Priority Hub can now learn what conversations and what people are important to you making it fast and easy to find the messages and information you need. It collects priority messages across your email, social networking and other accounts and gives you instant access to the conversations most important to you to help you stay organized and focused on the most important tasks.

BBM Now in Any App and Message Previews Everywhere – BlackBerry 10 OS version 10.2 continues to refine the unique communications experience of the platform. You can now get a preview of any message as it arrives in whatever app you’re in, and immediately dismiss it or tap it to read the full content and respond. If a BBM message arrives, you can instantly reply to the message without even leaving the app you’re in. In addition, if your phone is locked, you can tap the various icons on the Lock Screen to see an instant preview of your most recent messages and notifications.

5” Super AMOLED Display – The BlackBerry Z30 smartphone features the latest in display technology with a 5” Super AMOLED display that makes whatever you’re running larger, clearer and more vivid. The smartphone also houses many top of the line components, including a 1.7 GHz processor with quadcore graphics that makes browsing web pages faster and games more detailed.

Stereo Audio and BlackBerry Natural Sound – The BlackBerry Z30 smartphone comes with stereo speakers that immerse you in your music, videos, apps and games, and makes conversations sound like you’re face-to-face. BlackBerry Natural Sound is new technology exclusive to BlackBerry and part of BlackBerry 10 OS version 10.2 that makes BBM Voice and BBM Video chats sound more natural and realistic. BlackBerry Natural Sound lets you hear nuances and variations in tone, making conversations sound like you’re in the same room.

New Antenna Technology – The BlackBerry Z30 smartphone features BlackBerry’s new generation antenna technology that dynamically tunes reception to give you better connectivity in low signal areas. BlackBerry Paratek Antenna is designed to give you faster data transfers and fewer dropped calls in low signal areas, keeping you connected in more places.

Longer Battery Life – The BlackBerry Z30 smartphone includes a 2880 mAh battery, the largest battery ever built into a BlackBerry smartphone. Combined with the battery enhancements in BlackBerry 10 OS version 10.2, you can get up to 25 hours of mixed use* to keep you moving from dawn ‘til dawn.

Of all the days in the year to choose to launch a new flagship phone, the morning after Apple’s iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c reviews embargo lifts seems an odd choice. It’s almost as if BlackBerry has given up trying. Or that this phone was designed before company priorities crystalised around “strategic alternatives” — like seeking a buyer for its business.
The Z30′s low-key launch feels like BlackBerry going through the motions of being a handset maker, while it tries to find someone else to take on its handset-making business. And if that’s the case, a phablet is fittingly large enough to accommodate an epitaph should another veteran smartphone maker (After Nokia) make an exit from the fiercely competitive phone-making business.