BlackBerry's DTEK60 Goes Official; Now Available For $499

BlackBerry has officially announced its third Android-powered smartphone, the DTEK60, which features better specs than the DTEK 50 from earlier this year. The handset is now available unlocked from BlackBerry’s website for $499.

The DTEK60 comes with a design that looks similar to TCL’s Alcatel Idol 4S, much like the DTEK50 is designed after the Idol 4. The BlackBerry DTEK60 comes with a 5.5-inch quad HD display. The handset’s front and back features a dual-glass panel and comes with a metal frame, according to The Verge.

What sets the DTEK60 apart from its predecessor and the Idol 4S is its internals. The device is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 820 processor, 4GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage. It houses a 21-megapixel rear camera and an 8-megapixel front-facing camera. Unlike the DTEK50, the DTEK60 also comes with a fingerprint scanner on the back that can also be used for Android Pay. The handset also comes with a 3,000 mAh battery with QuickCharge 3.0 support through USB Type-C.

Although the DTEK60 appears to be an allrounder, BlackBerry is still targeting the business market. That’s why the handset comes with the company’s proprietary productivity apps and software like the Hub and Calendar, according to GSM Arena.

The device also runs Android Marshmallow with BlackBerry’s custom security software running on top that includes the company’s Hardware Root of Trust for preventing spoofing and the Secure Bootloader for verifying if Android OS hasn’t been tampered with. For those who may be disappointed with Android Marshmallow, the handset will be upgradable to Android Nougat sometime in the near future.

As stated before, the DTEK60 is now available SIM-free from BlackBerry’s website for $499. The company is also offering a limited time-only accessory bundle for customers in the United States until Nov. 8. The bundle includes a soft shell case and a Rapid Charger.