BlackBerry CEO John Chen knows that his company is under siege, which is why it's eyeing Android. The trouble is, he's having a hard time explaining why BlackBerry's new handset is worth buying.
In an interview with Business News Network (below), Chen showed off the newly announced Priv Android-based device. But it took just seconds for the appearance to fall off the rails, as he had trouble opening Chrome. From there, Chen tried to showcase some of the features in his "Google" phone, but instead reverted to talk of "the latest specs, literally the latest Qualcomm specs, and the cameras and other good stuff."
While the reporter had hoped to see the slide-out keyboard that comes with the Priv first, Chen rebuffed the request, saying he likes to show it at the end to "impress" people.
BlackBerry announced the Android-based Priv, which stands for Privacy, on Friday as part of an earnings call. Chen admitted that the company only confirmed the device because of the various leaks, which might explain why he's not as familiar with the Priv as BlackBerry's marketing team might like.
Still, Chen's interview was a grand opportunity for BlackBerry to showcase what it can do in a market that has long passed it by. Indeed, BlackBerry has watched its market share plummet as consumers and even the enterprise increasingly turn to Android- and iOS-based devices. Watching the CEO have trouble enumerating the value of buying an Android-based BlackBerry device, however, may do little to instill confidence in prospective customers.
The BlackBerry Priv is notable for being the first Android-based handset from the smartphone maker. The device also includes a touch screen and the aforementioned slide-out keyboard, though exact specs have not yet been revealed.