[THE INVESTOR] Canada’s BlackBerry began selling its first Android-based smartphone Priv in Korea on Sept. 20, returning to the competitive market after a four-year hiatus.

The new launch comes as foreign handset makers such as Japan’s Sony and China’s Huawei are seeking to secure a footing in the nation’s mid-range smartphone market, with the high-end segment dominated by Samsung and Apple.

The retail price is set at 598,000 won (US$534) in Korea. 




The latest Priv phone is the first-ever BlackBerry smartphone running on the Android operating system.

It also features a dual-curved screen, tough and physical keyboards, upgraded camera and battery.

By Lee Ji-yoon (jylee@heraldcorp.com)