BlackBerry launches Z10 for Rs 43,490

Canadian smartphone maker BlackBerry has launched its latest 'game changer' handset Z10 in India. The launch comes before the phone's introduction in the US, its biggest market. BlackBerry Z10 will cost Rs 43,490, a tad lower than Apple's iPhone 5, which comes for Rs 45,000 but much costlier than Samsung's Galaxy Note II priced at Rs 35,600.

The Z10 will be available in over 2,000 retail outlets across 50 cities in India and has partnered telecom operators like Aircel, Idea Cellular and BSNL for various offers.

"This is the second costliest offering from the BB stable after the ultra-luxe Porsche Design priced at Rs 1.4 lakh launched last year. But I don't think pricing will be a deterrent for an interested consumer as we have got very positive feedback on the pricing from consumers themselves," BlackBerry managing director (India) Sunil Dutt said.

BlackBerry hopes to revive sales of its smartphone with the launch of Z10, after it posted losses in three of its four quarters amid competition from Apple and Samsung. The Z10 model which isn't due in the US until March, is on sale in the UK and Canada.

"More importantly, we have exceeded our target in both the markets (England and Canada) where we launched the BB10," Dutt said.

He also said the company will continue to offer other models here, including those on the BB7 platform.

"The next immediate launch will be the Q10 in April," he said, but did not specify whether that model will be dearer than the Z10.

He also said the BB10 supports content in domestic languages such as Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Punjabi, Tamil and Telugu.

BlackBerry recently set up a development centre at the Smart City campus in Kochi.

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