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TCL will stop selling BlackBerry-branded phones in August
Just when it seemed like BlackBerry was fading from consumer consciousness, the company partnered with electronics and appliance manufacturer TCL. The two collaborated to create BlackBerry-branded Android phones like the KEYone and KEY2. It's been four years since the partnership began, and in an unsurprising turn of events, TCL has announced that the two companies will part ways in August 2020.
BlackBerry calls 2017 a success amid reports of soft sales
TCL unveiled the Blackberry KEYOne at MWC 2017 and now, a year later, we have an idea of how well it sold as well as a glimpse into the company's outlook going forward. IDC's Francisco Jeronimo says that just 850,000 BlackBerry devices shipped last year, a very low number that's well behind those of companies like Apple and Samsung. But according to The Verge, who spoke to two members of the BlackBerry Mobile team, the company considers last year's sales a success.
The BlackBerry KEYone is getting a bronze makeover
BlackBerry's KEYone was a remarkably solid return to form, and it arguably got even better when it received an all-black makeover. Now, BlackBerry Mobile is prepping one more new color variant — the KEYone Bronze Edition — before it gets back to work developing all-new devices to launch later this year.
Sprint plans fix for BlackBerry KEYone that reinstalls bloatware
We were pretty impressed with BlackBerry's newest smartphone, the KEYone, especially given how long the company had gone without a serious contender on the market. But it seems its US versions carried by Sprint have brought something else from the past: Bloatware. Users discovered that certain apps they'd deleted kept reappearing on their phones. Sprint is reportedly working on a fix, but they've got a hard-and-fast solution in the meantime: Delete the whole software launcher.
BlackBerry KEYone hits Amazon and Best Buy on May 31st
BlackBerry and TCL have teased the KEYone for nearly half a year, and now Americans can finally see what all the fuss is about without jumping through hoops. The two have revealed that unlocked, US-friendly variants of the Android-powered BlackBerry will be available at both Amazon and Best Buy on May 31st. Spend $550 and you'll get the phone in either a GSM-tuned version (for the likes of AT&T and T-Mobile) or, if you shop at Amazon, a CDMA model optimized for Verizon. If that up-front price is just too much, Sprint and other carriers should offer the KEYone this summer.
Where to buy the BlackBerry KEYone in the UK
The new BlackBerry KEYone won't be everyone's cup of tea. If you remember physical keyboards with a certain fondness, however, then the KEYone offers the latest version of Android, a respectable camera and the kind of battery life you want in a productivity machine. After launching exclusively at Selfridges last week, the KEYone goes on general sale in the UK today, not that you need to look much further than Carphone Warehouse, which is the only place selling the device on contact right now.
BlackBerry KEYone review: Vintage vibes and a modern OS
You've got to give BlackBerry credit for refusing to die. After the underwhelming launch and life of BB10, the company pledged allegiance to Android, whipped up a strangely cool slider phone, then farmed out production of all new BlackBerrys to external partners. The journey has been difficult to watch at times, but it seems like the transition is starting to pay off. After a pair of all-touch phones, BlackBerry and partner TCL have released the KEYone, heralding the return of the classic candy-bar-with-keyboard design. The Priv was an ambitious attempt at a flagship,and the DTEK50 and DTEK60 were barely recognizable as part of the line. The KEYone, however, is the first BlackBerry in years to feel, well, like a BlackBerry. Surprise, surprise: It's a pretty great little phone, too. Fans will be glad to know the KEYone is the best Android-powered BlackBerry to date, but I don't expect this to move the needle for many others.
BlackBerry KEYone reaches the US on May 31st
To say that the launch of the BlackBerry KEYone has been protracted would be an understatement. BlackBerry and TCL teased the high-profile phone in January, dished out proper details in February, and has left people wondering about a specific US release date ever since. At last, you can relax: BlackBerry and TCL have revealed that the keyboard-equipped Android phone will reach both the US and Canada on May 31st. Americans will be limited to buying the $549 unlocked CDMA or GSM versions at first, but take heart -- there will be carrier deals, including a Sprint launch sometime in the summer. If you thought the up front price was too much to swallow, you'll have a way of softening the blow.
MWC's best phones head-to-head: It's (mostly) about the display (updated)
While flagships may have been scarce at MWC this year, there were still more than a few notable smartphone announcements early in the week. We've put the biggest ones so far in a handy table so you can compare specs, features and more to decide which one might be your next daily driver. Who knows, we may be in for a few surprises now that the show officially started, but for now, here are the five handsets from Barcelona that you need to know.
Watch BlackBerry's KEYone event in under 5 minutes
Last night here in Barcelona, BlackBerry announced all of the details about its KEYone handset at an hour-long event. Since you likely don't want to spend around 60 minutes rehashing the important details about the device, we've done the hard work for you. Get all the specs, pricing and other tidbits in under five minutes. Just be sure to use that time you saved on something constructive.
BlackBerry's KEYone is an exciting return to form
With a global launch in the works and the hopes of diehards at an all-time high, the pressure was on BlackBerry and TCL to deliver on all that Mercury hype. We can't render an official verdict yet, but my gut tells me they're onto something. Say hello to the BlackBerry KEYone. Yes, "Mercury" was a better name, and yes, the capitalization is weirding me out too. No matter: Despite the nature of its creation, the KEYone feels like a pretty triumphant return to form for a brand in need of a boost.
BlackBerry's 'Mercury' phone is now the KEYone
What was once known as the BlackBerry "Mercury" is now the KEYone. (Yeah, I don't like the name either.) At a press conference in Barcelona, TCL -- the new steward of BlackBerry's hardware efforts -- introduced, or rather re-introduced, its first Android handset with a QWERTY keyboard. It's a tall, enterprise-friendly smartphone with BlackBerry's DTEK software dumped on top of the OS. You can expect a fairly clean version of Android, but with the BlackBerry Hub and a few other apps aimed at business types. Clearly, this is a niche device: Unlike the DTEK50 and DTEK60, which ditched the physical keyboard, this is a phone for the BlackBerry purists.
