BlackBerry effectively running security on their own hardware running Android, this could mark the big break that both platforms are looking for and kick off BlackBerry's position as a specialist OEM.
BlackBerry's first Android device, long nicknamed 'Venice' is slated for release this year. The device runs Android OS Jellybean but with BlackBerry's security suite built-in. It is a slider with a QWERTY keyboard and what looks to be a curved display a la Samsung's Galaxy Edge.
The device, which is being called "Priv" is said to, "combine the best of BlackBerry security and productivity with the expansive mobile application ecosystem available on the Android platform." It'll arrive by the end of 2015 "in major markets in-store and online," said BlackBerry CEO John Chen.
A product like th 'Priv' could be a big hit for both BlackBerry and for the Android ecosystem. While BlackBerry has released a slew of notable devices, the lack of apps on their vanishing platform has been a major issue. Android, on the other hand, has a substantial lead in consumer mobile but has not been able to penetrate the enterprise in any meaningful way. This is mostly due to the inherent security concerns of its 'open' system and the staggering amount of malware running rampant on Android's uncurated app store.
With BlackBerry effectively running security on their own hardware running Android, this could mark the big break that both platforms are looking for and kick off BlackBerry's position as a specialist OEM. As for BlackBerry 10, it's still very much on the radar, with a 10.3.3 update for existing devices slated for March 2016.
Source: CrackBerry