BlackBerry to release smartphone to run on Android OS

TORONTO (AP) - BlackBerry has revealed plans to release the BlackBerry Priv as its first smartphone to run on the Android operating system.

CEO John Chen said Friday that the new phone, which is named after the privacy of its high-level security technology, will arrive before the end of this year in major markets.

Despite calls from some analysts for BlackBerry to scrap its own BlackBerry 10 operating system, the company says it doesn't plan to make those sweeping changes for now.

During the second quarter, BlackBerry sales extended their decline, falling to 800,000 units around the world, a slide from the 1.1 million phones.

Whether introducing Google's Android operating system into the mix will improve sales of BlackBerry phones remains to be seen.