Canadian smartphone maker, BlackBerry has slashed the price of the touch-screen flagship Z10 to ₹17,990 to mark the 10th anniversary of the company's foray into the Indian market.
It is the second such major price-cut by the company. Last September, Z10's price was reduced to ₹29,900 from ₹43,490.
"BlackBerry has a vast and loyal user base in India and we're keen to provide these consumers with the unique communication experience that BlackBerry 10 offers. This commemorative offer puts the BlackBerry Z10 at Rs 17,990 and will ensure users are able to enjoy the cutting edge experience of a full-touch device combined with a revolutionary operating system, all at an attractive price point," The Economic Times quoted Sunil Lalvani, MD of BlackBerry India.
The company says that this deal is only valid for about 60 days starting on Wednesday (26 February).
By slashing price below ₹18,000, the company expects to shake things up in the lucrative mid-range segment ruled by the local vendors and market leader Samsung.
But is it too late? May be yes, because BlackBerry's Z10 is more than a year old and the Indian market is currently flooded with low-cost handsets with high-end specifications (example is the recently launched mid-range Motorola Moto G).
With so many options left for buyers, BlackBerry will have a tough time convincing shrewd Indian consumers that Z10 is a smart investment.
BlackBerry Z10 vs. Top Competition:
| Models | *Price |
| Micromax Canvas Turbo A250(#Canvas Turbo Mini, Canvas 4 A210) | ₹17,300 |
| Karbonn Titanium X | ₹14,945 |
| Intex Aqua i7 | ₹17,200 |
| Lava Iris Pro 30 | ₹15,399 |
| Xolo Play | ₹15,398 |
| Motorola Moto G (16GB) | ₹13,999 |
| Lenovo P780 | 16,949 |
| Nokia Lumia 720(#Lumia 625) | ₹17,900 |
| Samsung Grand Neo(#Galaxy Grand 2, Galaxy Grand Duos) | ₹19,010 |
| Sony Xperia L(# Sony Xperia M) | ₹14,500 |
| HTC Desire 501 (dual-SIM) | ₹16,400 |
*Prices are subject to change without notice. #- worth taking a look
Key specifications of BlackBerry Z10:
| Model | BlackBerry Z10 |
| Display | 4.2-inch display with1280x768p resolutionsPixel density: 356 ppi (pixel per inches) |
| OS | BlackBerry 10.2.1 OS |
| Processor | 1.5 GHz Dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Plus processor |
| RAM | 2GB |
| Storage capacity | 16GB, expandable up to 32GB |
| Camera | Rear: 8.0-megapixel camera with auto-focus, LED flash, 5X digital zoom, full HD (1080p) video recording abilityFront: 2.0-megapixel camera with HD (720p) video recording |
| Network | 3G & 4G/LTE in select market |
| Battery | 1800 mAh;Standby time: up to 13 days |
| Add-ons | Bluetooth v4.0, Wi-Fi (802.11n-2009), NFC,HDMI, micro-USB, microSD card |
| Dimensions | 130.0 x 65.6 x 9.0 mm |
| Weight | 135.4 g |
| Price (limited offer- 60 days) | ₹17,990/- |
