BlackBerry Starts Pre-Orders For Indonesian-Targeted Z3

BlackBerry has stepped up plans to court developing nations by announcing that customers in Indonesia can now pre-order the BlackBerry Z3, which was announced at Mobile World Congress (MWC) earlier this year.

The device will be released on 13 May and can currently be ordered through local operators Indosat and XL with a special ‘Jakarta’ edition also available to commemorate the launch. However the only difference between the two models is that the special edition will have ‘Jakarta’ written the back.

The Z3 costs 2,199,000 Indonesian Rupiah (£113) and is intended as an affordable handset specifically targeted at the Indonesian market. It boasts a five inch display, a long lasting battery and runs BlackBerry 10, complete with local applications and content.

BlackBerry Z3 Jakarta

There are Indonesian-specific channels and stickers designed by a local artist in BlackBerry Messenger (BBM), while the Canadian manufacturer promises the “best Bahasa Indonesia typing experience on a touchscreen,” complete with support for up to three languages at the same time.

“The BlackBerry Z3 was designed with our Indonesian customers in mind, to keep them productive and connected with family, friends and co-workers while on the move,” says John Chen, Executive Chairman and CEO at BlackBerry. “Embodying all that BlackBerry 10 offers, the BlackBerry Z3 has a stylish, modern, all-touch design with exceptional productivity features and reliable communications.”

The Z3 is the first BlackBerry handset to be manufactured by Foxconn as part of a five year partnership to jointly develop and manufacture smartphones for developing nations.

While BlackBerry’s latest recovery plan in developed markets centre around high end business devices, services, messaging and QNX-embedded systems, it is pursuing a different strategy in markets where BlackBerry products are still seen as a status symbol and an object of desire.

For example, BlackBerry is the second most popular mobile phone manufacturer in South Africa with 23 percent of the market, with many users valuing low-cost data packages and free messaging through BBM.

It is unclear whether any variation of the Z3 will be released outside Indonesia, including the UK. BlackBerry had not responded to TechWeekEurope’s requests for comment at the time of publication.

Is this the beginning of a new dawn for BlackBerry in 2014? Try our 2013 BlackBerry quiz!