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Johannesburg - The last BlackBerry manufactured by the Canadian company itself is now available in South Africa, but the company says this isn't the end of BlackBerry as we know it.
The BlackBerry DTEK50, dubbed the most secure Android smartphone on the market, hit local stores on Monday. It is available at MTN on contract for R299 per month or at a retail price of R6 899.
The device will become available through other networks and retailers in the weeks to come.
READ: BlackBerry unveils new Android device
The DTEK50 is the company’s second device launch this year after the BlackBerry Priv Android smartphone.
Over recent years, the BlackBerry brand has become synonymous with the production of highly secure and heavily encrypted devices.
The DTEK50 was launched along with the DTEK60 device a slightly higher spec model, with BlackBerry in South Africa remaining mum on the availability of it in the country.
At a closed media briefing on Wednesday, Martin Fick, head of product for BlackBerry in the country, told Fin24 that the device – which provides enough security to prevent it being rooted – fitted into a price category of being a “fleet device”, providing an enterprise solution.
READ: BlackBerry's swansong coming to SA
“The privacy the device can offer makes it relevant to both a consumer and for enterprise. The features the device offer make it good enough for work and play,” Fick said.
The DTEK50 features the Android Marshmallow operating system, a 5.2” scratch resistant display, 13 megapixel rear camera and 8 megapixel facing camera.
The device also features a Snapdragon 617 processor, 3GB RAM and 2610mAh battery.
The BlackBerry Priv was the first device from the manufacturer to feature the Android operating system.
READ: Rest in Peace BlackBerryhttp://www.fin24.com/Tech/Opinion/obituary-rest-in-peace-blackberry-20160929
Fick told Fin24 that the company would continue to produce devices through joint ventures with other manufacturers.
This means that a South African smartphone manufacturer could partner with the company to produce a smartphone, however Fick said that the company had yet to decide whether or not they would partner with a single company to produce their next smartphones or rely on multiple partners globally.
BlackBerry recently announced a newly formed joint venture with Indonesian company, PT BB Merah Putih, to license BlackBerry software and services for the production of handsets for the Indonesian market specifically.
