Blackberry “Mercury” Goes Official as the KEYone for the Physical Keyboard Lovers

In a couple of hours (10AM Pacific), Blackberry Mobile will make their new phone, the KEYone, official at Mobile World Congress. You may remember this phone from CES as the “Mercury,” the throwback-style keyboarded Blackberry that also runs Android.

The phone, with its entire specs list and feature set, was posted to Blackberry Mobile’s site hours ago, which was hours before the phone was actually announced. Because of that, well, we have all of the details for you now. 

The Blackberry KEYone looks like quite the premium device in terms of build quality, but TCL (the new maker of Blackberry Mobile phones) has gone somewhat mid-rangey on specs. On one hand, you have an aluminum body, with soft touch back and elegant design. On the other, you have a Snapdragon 625, 3GB RAM, and a 1080p display. By no means is this a low-end device, but it’s also not competing with the G6 or Galaxy S8 on paper.

As for the rest of the story, you’ve got Android 7.1 Nougat under a 4.5-inch FHD display, 32GB storage with microSD expansion, 3505mAh battery with quick charging, USB Type-C port, 12MP “Large Pixel” camera (same exact camera as is in the Google Pixel), and of course, that physical keyboard.

The keyboard’s keys can be programmed to quick launch apps, plus it acts as a touch pad, and incorporates “Flick Typing,” a gesture used for predictive texting. Hopefully, they’ll give you that Blackberry feel of old, too.

On a connectivity front, the phone will support AT&T and T-Mobile here in the US. It’s a GSM unlocked phone, so you won’t get that Verizon or Sprint connection unless TCL convinces those carriers to sell the phone.

Blackberry KEYone Specs

CL COMMUNICATION (TCT) UNVEILS THE FUTURE OF THE NEW BLACKBERRY MOBILE AS PART THE COMPANY’S PRODUCT PORTFOLIO EVOLUTION UNVEILED AT CES 2017

Expanded TCL Communication portfolio takes an industry-first approach to addressing the new mobility market

LAS VEGAS – January 4, 2017 – At CES 2017, TCL Communication Technology Holdings Limited (TCT), the fourth-largest handset manufacturer in North America, is today sharing plans for an industry-first brand portfolio business model, which now enables the company to offer an entire suite of mobility products, including new BlackBerry smartphones. This brand pillar approach focuses on multiple facets of the company’s product portfolio: the entry-consumer, best-in-class enterprise, connected (IoT) and emerging segments – all leveraging the success of the TCL Communication manufacturing, R∓D and operations along with the legacy of some of the industry’s most iconic brands, including Alcatel and BlackBerry.

“Our industry is in the midst of an evolution, where consumers are now demanding greater functionality and value from their mobile devices than ever before,” said Steve Cistulli, President and General Manager for TCL Communication (TCT), North America. “To meet these growing demands, both carriers and retailers need a more diverse product offering, requiring portfolio efficiencies that were previously unavailable from a single manufacturer – until now. We’re boldy evolving our business, offering end-to-end efficiencies from sales, through R&D, manufacturing and logistics. This business evolution will provide greater value to our customers in the premium post-paid and affordable no-contract tiers.”

Offering carriers and retailers exceptional quality and value, backed by TCL’s world-class R&D and manufacturing capabilities, the TCL Communication portfolio will be anchored by the Alcatel and BlackBerry handset brands while continuing to evolve in 2017. This will include additional mobility offerings to be announced in the first half of the year that will allow the company to further address consumer demands. Among the first products in this portfolio is the latest BlackBerry smartphone, focused on three core features: security, productivity and reliability. Previewed at CES, the smartphone draws on unparalleled mobile security and software expertise to offer the most complete end-to-end smartphone security available on Android.

“We look forward to unveiling details around this distinctly different and impressively designed BlackBerry smartphone around the Mobile World Congress timeframe next month,” continued Cistulli.

For more information about TCL Communication (TCT), please visit www.TCTUSA.com.

Via:  Blackberry | reddit