German government embraces BlackBerry Z10 as UK retailers slash prices

Blackberry’s Z10 smartphone has received a large vote of confidence in the form of a major order from the German government, although UK retailers are slashing prices on the device.

CrackBerry reports the German government has ordered 5,000 BlackBerry Z10s, with Chancellor Angela Merkel and key government agencies upgrading to the new device, with the smartphone’s advanced security features cited as a key reason for the order.

The major purchase marks a potential turnaround for the Canadian smartphone giant, which lost a number of major government and enterprise clients during 2012 amid long delays in the release of its BlackBerry Z10 and Q10 smartphones.

However, the news for BlackBerry is potentially less rosy in the UK consumer market, where several major retailers are already cutting their prices on the Z10.