BlackBerry has released a new version of its flagship Passport smartphone, the BackBerry Passport Silver Edition, and it’s promising that it’s not only the colour that’s different.
Yes, the new handset does have a silver finish to complement the black QWERTY keyboard. But the Waterloo, Ont.-based smartphone vendor also points to four other differences between the Silver Edition and its regular Passport models:
- There’s a stainless steel frame that has been reinforced for more strength and durability.
- The keyboard has been improved for easier typing,
- Rounded corners and a diamond weave pattern on the back have been added for a better, more comfortable grip, and
- Bevelled edges around the front-facing camera and a border around the rear camera to help protect them from wear and tear.
“We strive to deliver products that combine cutting-edge technology with purposeful, globally recognized design, and the BlackBerry Passport Silver Edition is the latest manifestation of this vision,” said Scott Wenger, BlackBerry’s global head of design, in a statement. “It brings together BlackBerry’s latest OS platform, enhanced productivity features, and a refined industrial design based on customer and user feedback to deliver an unmatched experience for professionals who value precision and focus.”
Other than the noted differences, it’s a regular BlackBerry Passport. It features a 4.5″ square 1440×1440 pixel HD display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3, boasts a hefty 3450 mAh battery, and runs the latest BlackBerry 10.3.2 operating system. It’s powered by a 2.2 GHz Quad Core processor with 3MB RAM, with 32GB internal memory and a MicroSD card that can expand it to 128GB.
The BlackBerry Passport Silver Edition is available now, starting at US$549. For a limited time, when bought from the BlackBerry website it comes with $130 in accessories, including a Flex Shell, Flip Case and Sync Pod.