BlackBerry Leap
The BlackBerry Leap is a discontinued smartphone developed by BlackBerry Limited. Announced on March 3, 2015, at the Mobile World Congress[2] with initial availability in April 2015, the Leap was a follow-on to the affordable Z3 model with a number of upgraded features. Upgrades included LTE support, higher-resolution display and cameras, higher-performance CPU and GPU, double the internal storage capacity, and the latest version of the BlackBerry 10 operating system. Size and weight increased very slightly from the Z3 model.[3]
Manufacturer | BlackBerry Limited |
---|---|
Slogan | "Power to Succeed" |
Compatible networks | LTE GSM |
Related | BlackBerry Z3 BlackBerry Z10 BlackBerry Z30 |
Type | Smartphone |
Form factor | Slate |
Dimensions | 144 mm (5.7 in) H 72.8 mm (2.87 in) W 9.5 mm (0.37 in) D |
Mass | 170 g (6.00 oz) |
Operating system | BlackBerry 10.3.1 |
System-on-chip | Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Plus |
CPU | Krait, 1.5 GHz dual-core |
GPU | Adreno 225 |
Memory | 2 GB RAM |
Storage | 16 GB internal storage |
Removable storage | microSD, up to 128 GB[1] |
Battery | 2800 mAH non removable battery |
Display | |
Rear camera | 8 megapixels, 1080p video capture, autofocus, Digital Image Stabilization |
Front camera | 2 megapixels, 720p video capture |
Connectivity | List
|
Data inputs | Multi-touch touchscreen |
Other | Accelerometer, Proximity sensor, Ambient light sensor |
Website | Official website |
Specifications
Hardware
The BlackBerry Leap has a 5.0-inch IPS LCD display, dual-core 1.5 GHz Krait Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Plus processor, 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal storage that can be expanded using microSD cards up to 256 GB. The phone has a 2800 mAh Li-Ion battery, 8 MP rear camera with LED flash and 2 MP front-facing camera with auto-focus. It is available in black or white colors. It features connectivity to WiFi, Bluetooth and GPS. It measures 144 mm x 72.8 mm x 9.5 mm and weighs 170 grams.[4][5]
Design
According to BlackBerry product designers, key design criteria for the Leap include solid single-body construction, edge-to-edge glass, straightforward SIM/SD card exchange and ease of repairability. Special attention is paid to aesthetic details such as the texture and grip of the covering, laser-cut speaker ports, and the overall look of the white-colored model.[6]
Sales
BlackBerry announced[7] the global rollout of the Leap on April 15, 2015, with immediate availability via various resellers in the UK market. By April 22, 2015, customers in the French, German and US markets were able to order the Leap via either Amazon.com, BlackBerry Ltd's "Shop BlackBerry" website, or certain local resellers. Releases for other markets including Canada, India, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia have since been made as well.
Reception
Various journalists and industry pundits handled the device and gave preliminary assessments at its initial showing at the 2015 Mobile World Congress.[8][9][10][11][12][13][14] It received reviews praising the sleek design as well as the display, although it was criticized for "not standing out."[15]
Gallery
- The SIM card and memory card slots
- The array of sensors on the front at the top
- The sensor in the array at the top which is used to check if the phone is covered by the ear therefore turning the screen off
- The flashing proximity sensor
- Video of the flashing proximity sensor
References
- "Using a media card - BlackBerry Leap - 10.3.1". Archived from the original on 2018-12-10. Retrieved 2018-12-09.
- "BlackBerry Leap Press Release". BlackBerry Ltd. Retrieved 6 April 2015.
- "BlackBerry Leap specifications". BlackBerry Ltd. Retrieved 6 April 2015.
- "BlackBerry Leap - Full phone specifications". www.gsmarena.com. Retrieved 2019-10-02.
- "BlackBerry Leap Specifications". GSMArena. Retrieved August 14, 2018.
- "BlackBerry Leap Behind-the-Scenes Design Story". N4BB. Retrieved 6 April 2015.
- "BlackBerry Announces Global Rollout of BlackBerry Leap". Blackberry.com. Retrieved 26 April 2015.
- "BlackBerry Leap Preview". Cnet. Retrieved 6 April 2015.
- "BlackBerry Leap hands on". fonearena. Retrieved 6 April 2015.
- "BlackBerry Leap Hands-on". Mobile Syrup. Archived from the original on 5 April 2015. Retrieved 6 April 2015.
- "BlackBerry Leap: hands-on at MWC 2015 (Video)". pocketnow. Archived from the original on 5 April 2015. Retrieved 6 April 2015.
- "BlackBerry aims at young professionals with the low-cost Leap". engadget. Retrieved 6 April 2015.
- "BlackBerry Leap is the 5-inch HD touchscreen smartphone you didn't see coming". Pocket-lint. 3 March 2015. Retrieved 6 April 2015.
- "BlackBerry Leaps Back to Touchscreens With New Phone at Mobile World Congress". ABC News. Retrieved 6 April 2015.
- Ralph, Nate. "BlackBerry Leap review: Ditches the keyboard, but offers little for those who aren't BlackBerry fans". CNET. Retrieved 2019-10-02.