BlackBerry’s (BBRY) next-generation BlackBerry Z10 smartphone will finally become available on AT&T (T) beginning March 22nd. The nation’s No.2 carrier announced on Monday that it will begin taking preorders for the BlackBerry Z10 on March 12th ahead of the phone’s release next Friday. The Z10 will cost $199.99 with a two-year agreement, as expected, and customers can register on AT&T’s website to be notified as soon as preorders go live. BGR reviewed the BlackBerry Z10 last month and called it a huge step in the right direction, but we wondered if it would be enough to draw a significant number of users from more established platforms. AT&T’s full press release follows below.
AT&T to Launch BlackBerry Z10 March 22 for $199.99, Pre-sales Begin March 12
Only AT&T customers can experience the new BlackBerry Z10 on the Nation’s Fastest 4G LTE Network
Dallas, Texas, March 11, 2013
Wireless customers looking for a smartphone that helps them balance the important aspects of their lives will soon have a new option. Beginning March 12, AT&T* will kick-off consumer pre-sales of the BlackBerry® Z10 smartphone for $199.99 with a two-year agreement athttp://www.att.com/z10. The smartphone will be generally available for all customers, including corporate customers or those receiving a corporate discount, through all AT&T channels on March 22.
The BlackBerry Z10 is the first smartphone to launch with the re-designed, re-engineered and re-invented BlackBerry® 10 platform, offering customers a powerful and unique new mobile experience. It is the fastest and most advanced BlackBerry smartphone yet, and is designed to continuously adapt to a customer’s needs.
The BlackBerry Z10 features an all-touch keyboard and provides a modern and easy typing experience. The BlackBerry Z10 also features a high-resolution 4.2-inch display and an 8-megapixel camera that records 1080p HD video.
“AT&T customers were the first to experience BlackBerry smartphones and services in the U.S. and we are thrilled to bring the next evolution, the BlackBerry Z10, to the nation’s fastest 4G LTE network,” said Jeff Bradley, senior vice president, Devices and Developer Services, AT&T Mobility. “Customers who have grown to love the tried and true BlackBerry experience will continue to enjoy the easy typing and the secure platform they expect with a fresh platform that lets them get more out of their smartphone with easy access to all their messages in BlackBerry Hub.”
BlackBerry 10 is a re-designed, re-engineered and re-invented BlackBerry platform that gives customers a faster and smarter experience that continuously adapts to their needs with advancements such as:
- BlackBerry® Hub acts as a central location for your emails and conversations. You can easily peek into the Hub from any app with one swipe to see what’s new, then instantly swipe back to what you were doing.
- The new BlackBerry Touchscreen Keyboard learns how you write and adapts to your typing style so you can write faster and more accurately.
- BlackBerry fans have long loved BlackBerry® Messenger (BBM™). The new BlackBerry Z10 features BBM™ Video and Screen Share so you can catch up face-to-face and share the content on your screen** with your friend or co-worker.
- Taking photos and creating memories is easier with Time Shift, an astonishing camera feature that captures the moments before and after you press the shutter to let you create the best shot,and BlackBerry Story Maker, which lets you weave those moments together to create a movie in just a couple of swipes.
- BlackBerry Balance™ technology allows you to use your Z10 for work and play without compromising the security of your business-related content when connected to BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10.
The BlackBerry Z10 will be the first BlackBerry smartphone to run on AT&T 4G LTE, the nation’s fastest 4G LTE network***. AT&T has the nation’s largest 4G network, covering 288 million people.***
AT&T is also launching the new BlackBerry® Enterprise Service (BES) 10 solution, which gives AT&T business and government customers with BlackBerry 10 smartphones secure access to work email, “behind the firewall” applications and data, and offers other security and advanced enterprise mobility management features. BES 10 provides an additional option for AT&T enterprise customers to choose from when deciding which Mobile Enterprise Management solution best serves their needs. Customers can also benefit from AT&T’s extensive experience helping companies create comprehensive mobility strategies. AT&T leverages best practices and proven frameworks to address nearly every enterprise mobility challenge.
