Blackberry to Launch 5G Android Smartphone with Physical Keyboard

BlackBerry will launch a new 5G Android smartphone with a physical Qwerty keyboard in the first half of 2021.

OnwardMobility has announced a partnership with BlackBerry and FIH Mobile. Under the terms of the agreement, BlackBerry grants OnwardMobility the right to develop, engineer and bring to market a BlackBerry 5G mobile device.

As per the release, OnwardMobility will be looking after planning and market development for BlackBerry smartphones in North America, while FIH Mobile will be responsible for the design and manufacture of the device.

According to a report by Android Authority, the TCL and BlackBerry earlier this year confirmed that they had parted ways. This suggested that TCL would no longer be producing smartphones by BlackBerry.

The BlackBerry KEYOne was launched last year running Android Nougat 7.1 out of the box. Image: tech2/ Rehan Hooda

The new BlackBerry phone will apparently “highly secure” and will offer a “suite of end-to-end security solutions”.

OnwardMobility is working with Foxconn subsidiary FIH Mobile Limited to get the BlackBerry 5G with physical keyboard launched in 2021 in North American and European markets.

BlackBerry phones by TCL had physical keyboards too but they were not enough for them to retain the license.

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Executive Chairman and CEO of BlackBerry John Chen said that his company is thrilled that OnwardMobility will deliver a BlackBerry 5G smartphone device with physical keyboard leveraging high standards of trust and security synonymous with the brand.

“We are excited that customers will experience the enterprise and government level security and mobile productivity the new BlackBerry 5G smartphone will offer,” he added.