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Cheaper Blackberry launched as CEO insists, 'We are firing on all cylinders'

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By Noel Young, Correspondent

May 14, 2013 | 3 min read

Blackberry yesterday unveiled a lower-cost phone aimed at consumers in emerging markets.

Cheaper Blackberry: Here it is!

"I know this is going be a big hit," said CEO Thorsten Heins, who showed the phone off at the BlackBerry Live conference in Orlando, Florida.

The phone has a classic QWERTY keyboard and a 3.1-inch touchscreen.

In another major switch, Blackberrys is to offer its once-popular BlackBerry Messenger service on iPhones and devices running Google’s Android software.

Heins said the time was right to offer BBM on rival devices. He said iPhone and Android versions will be available for free, subject to approval by Google Play and the Apple App Store.

“It’s time to bring BBM to a greater audience,” he said. “I cannot wait for the day when all of our BlackBerry fans can send BBM invites to all their friends on other platforms. They have asked us for this for years.”

The BBM service was once a reason for BlackBerry users not to defect to other smartphones. Now, there are many rival messaging services. But there are still more than 60 million BBM users worldwide.

Heins said the lower-cost Q5 device (which he did not price) will be available in selected markets this summer. It is part of Blackberry's effort to regain market share lost to Apple’s iPhone and Android smartphones.

Heins said the “slim, sleek” device woud be available in red, black, white and pink.

Heins, who became CEO in January 2012, ridiculed industry predictions that he might not make it to this year’s conference as CEO because of the competitive mobile landscape.

“I’m happy to say they were wrong,” Heins said. “We are not only still here. We are firing on all cylinders as a company.”

The original BlackBerry device, introduced in 1999, was the No 1 smartphone for switched-on business people before the iPhone arrived in 2007.

“The most successful year for BlackBerry is well under way,” said Heins.

BlackBerry also revealed more details for the U.S. launch of the Q10, which the company previewed in January. It will be available "this summer" through Verizon, T-Mobile and Sprint.

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