BlackBerry launches Q5 in India at Rs 24,990: Is the smartphone worth its price?

Canadian mobile handset manufacturer BlackBerry launched an 'affordable' BB10 smartphone, the Q5, in India Rs 24,990.

Gadget and Gizmos said in its review of the phone: With its aggressive pricing, the smartphone is clearly gunning for popularity among the "connected urban youth". The Q5 is the most affordable of the BB10 phones launched by the company so far, much cheaper than the Z10 and the Q10 that are both priced above Rs 40,000, even though aimed at the high-end user.

"It is more affordable for the urban youth. It will be available from tomorrow (Wednesday) at all key BlackBerry outlets and the roll-out will be completed by July 20 across India," Sunil Lalvani, managing director for Indian operations, said while launching the product.

The new product is within BlackBerry 10 smartphone series, which is a data-intensive mobile computing platform. It is a smartphone with QWERTY keyboard and touchscreen targeted at the data-hungry urban youth.

IANS reviews the smartphone: The Q5 is a much cheaper Q10. At just over half the price, it gives you almost a Q10-like experience: the same software, in a cheaper package. Where the Q10 felt premium and heavy, with aluminium touches, the all-plastic Q5 is lighter, but feels sturdy - and is in fact easier to hold than the Q10.

In deference to its much lower price, BlackBerry worked hard at distinguishing the Q5, starting with the keypad. It borrows the old Curve model's smaller but more-spaced-out keypad, making the Q5 look older than the Q10. Unlike other reviewers, though, I find I'm typing faster on the Q5's keypad.

With IANS inputs