BlackBerry CEO struggles to use their own Android Slider, indicating the things to come

BlackBerry has confirmed that they are going to launch the Priv soon, an Android powered slider which will combine Google's OS with BlackBerry's security and productivity suite of apps.

The CEO of BlackBerry, John Chen, went on a live interview to showcase the Priv and failed miserably at using the smartphone. He repeatedly kept saying that the Priv "runs Google" and during the demonstration he wasn't able to access the app-drawer. Instead he opened Chrome which again seemed to lag. The original video since then has been removed but the damage was done.

But this was clearly a prototype, given that the device wasn't even logged onto with a Google account. Such impromptu interviews are definitely tough but given that the BlackBerry CEO isn't even aware of the basics of Android or for that matter name of the OS running on their device is a bit in-excusable. This is more than just an over-sight, this is what devout BlackBerry users like Chen himself are going to face. BlackBerry 10 users will find Android a bit alienating, especially long time users. New users on the other hand who are still into hardware keyboard might give it a second glance.

But BlackBerry is targeting it to the enterprise, not to the consumer segment where both the iPhone and Android reign supreme. Although this is not indicative of company-wide expertise of Android, there are things that need to iron out before BlackBerry comes out with the Priv later this year.