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BlackBerry releases new Z30 smartphone

Canadian tech company BlackBerry is introducing a new smartphone model to its lineup, the BlackBerry Z30, which features a larger display and the longest-running battery the company has ever offered on its phones.

"It's our biggest, largest, most advanced smartphone to date on the BlackBerry 10 platform," said Vivek Bhardwaj, head of software portfolios at BlackBerry.

The phone runs the latest version of the BlackBerry 10 operating system, BlackBerry 10.2, which includes many feature updates.

"Some of the latest features that come with that are features like the BlackBerry Priority Hub, so you're able to actually organize your messages now by intelligently recognizing who the most important people are, the most important conversations," said Bhardwaj.

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Bhardwaj also highlighted changes to the BlackBerry Messenger service, allowing users to send messages to each other within the BBM network.

"With the Z30 you're actually able to retrieve BBM messages from anywhere within the phone. So you can be playing a game, you could be browsing the internet, or just looking through applications or even reading a book. So as soon as someone sends you a BBM message, it will actually appear on the top of the screen. You're able to dismiss it or even read and reply right to that message within that app."

The new screen puts the Z30 at the same size as the Samsung Galaxy S4, which also features a five-inch (12.7-cm) display.

The Z30's battery, at 2880 maH, is one of the largest capacity batteries available on a smartphone. The company claims the battery can provide up to 25 hours of use.

The Z30 will be available in stores in the U.K. and the Middle East starting next week. A Canadian release date is expected to be announced in the next coming weeks.

Jefferies managing director Peter Misek says the Z30 will likely do little to turn around the company's fortunes.

"It's an attempt by them to stabilize their business in their core markets where they're very strong, places like Malaysia," he said.

"In the United States and the rest of the developed world, this is probably going to have little to no impact."

Misek says the timing of the phone's entry to the market is in line with expectations, but other aspects of the Z30's launch concern him.

"It's interesting and worrying to note that they're not launching this in the United States, or having an event in the United States," he said.

"They're really focusing on where they think they still have strength."