Back last August we told you that OnwardMobility had licensed the BlackBerry name and planned on producing the first 5G ‘Berry sometime this year. But that was approximately eight months ago and all we know about the upcoming handset is that it will feature the iconic BlackBerry QWERTY keyboard, carry a flagship-style camera (more on that below) and support 5G connectivity. It is supposed to see the light of day sometime during the first half of this year but according to TechRadar, that might be delayed.
Ever since the BlackBerry Priv was released on November 6th, 2015, all ‘Berry models have been powered by Android and we expect the same for the upcoming phone. BlackBerry has yet to reveal any of the terms of its licensing agreement with OnwardMobility, but the latter has mentioned smartphones with an “s” which means that a whole line of new BlackBerry handsets could be in the works. Much will depend on whether there is demand for the next model.
The BlackBerry Key2 which was manufactured by former licensee TCL
TechRadar says that based on information that it heard, the new BlackBerry might be equipped with flagship style cameras that will force the phone to be sold at a higher price than previous BlackBerry models. OnwardMobility says that the device will be aimed at both the consumer and enterprise markets.
OnwardMobility CEO Peter Franklin says, “More than half of the global population own smartphones today, so the market is enormous. What’s been missing, however, is the ultra-secure and productivity-centric smartphone that can address the needs of enterprise users, government users and security-conscious consumers – and that’s the gap we expect to fill.”