BlackBerry KeyONE is going to get the update to Android Oreo very soon according to the famous Canadian carrier Rogers. The carrier has just published a new version of its software update schedule which mentions all the phones which will be updated to next major versions of Google’s operating system. Alongside Samsung Galaxy S7, Galaxy S7 Edge and LG G6, Rogers has also listed BlackBerry KeyONE. Unfortunately, there isn’t an exact date for the update, it is just mentioned as “coming soon” with an exclamation mark. In the meantime, the smartphone launched by TCL has received a new update which includes the security patch for the month of May.

Google releases security patches every month and BlackBerry phones are always among the first to get them. Several Android vulnerabilities have been fixed with the Android security patch from the month of May. If you want to know more about them, follow this link to check the Android security bulletin for May 2018. With Key2 right around the corner, BlackBerry KeyONE still represents a very good device in the midrange sector. In case you don’t know, it is the only smartphone released by TCL in the last three years to feature a physical QWERTY keyboard.

RELATED: Two BlackBerry Phones Powered By Snapdragon 660 Seen On Geekbench

Its space bar doubles as Home key and fingerprint reader, and the physical keyboard can also be used to scroll pages, despite the display being a touchscreen panel. KeyONE boasts a 4.5-inch Full HD display with an unusual resolution of 1080 x 1620 pixels (due to the physical keyboard). Under the hood, it features an octa-core Snapdragon 625 chipset by Qualcomm, 3 or 4 GB of RAM and 32 or 64 GB of internal storage depending on the chosen configuration. It has a 12 MP main camera, an 8 MP front camera and a wide battery with a 3505 mAh capacity.

Would you still buy a phone with a physical keyboard in 2018?

(Via)

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Blackberry isn’t a major player in the smartphone market anymore but the company still has some strong followership and of course, every now and then one or two models get released. The company released the KEYone last year and the smartphone enjoyed some bit of success in the market. That successful run may have prompted the company to commence work on a successor. Blackberry KEY2 is adjudged to be its successor going by the spate at which we see new leaks regarding a new BlackBerry-branded smartphone. Although the name of the device is yet to be officially disclosed, it is rumoured that it would be called KEY2.

Recently a live picture of the KEY2 surfaced online showing it would have the same physical QWERTY keyboard as well as square-shaped design as the KEYone. The phone was recently spotted on GeekBench bearing the model number  BBF100-1. The KEY2 also got certified by China’s TENAA recently bearing the model number BBF100-4. And now, the Blackberry KEY2 has been listed at Wi-Fi Alliance and Bluetooth SIG. The model listed at Wi-Fi Alliance clutches the model number BBF100-6 while the Bluetooth SIG listing comes with model numbers BBF100-1, BBF100-2 and BBF100-6.

Read More: Accessories For Unreleased BlackBerry KEYOne 2 Seen Online

In case you don’t know, Wi-Fi Alliance and Bluetooth SIG are two regulatory agencies that provide new devices with the required certifications -Wi-Fi and Bluetooth certificates. Since the device is listed on their website, it is safe to say that it received both of them. This, no doubt, puts the KEY2 one step closer to launch. The KEY2 is a mid-range model and is expected to pack a Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 processor, coupled with 6GB RAM and 64GB internal memory.

(source 1, 2)

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About two months ago, the codenames for three upcoming Blackberry smartphones from TCL surfaced online. One of them is the Athena and renders of the phone just showed up online, courtesy of China’s patent office.

The BlackBerry Athena rocks a QWERTY Keyboard just like the BlackBerry KEYone but much better looking. The display seems to be bigger and the keyboard has been redesigned. The keys are a bit bigger and the fingerprint scanner/spacebar now has the BlackBerry logo. The keyboard area also appears to be covered in leather. Overall we think the keyboard experience should be better on the Athena.

The top of the phone has also been redesigned. The front camera is now in a smaller housing; there is a single cut out for the earpiece, and even the sensor is smaller. The KEYone actually looks very ugly when compared to this device.

However, there are some things TCL hasn’t changed. The phone still uses capacitive Android buttons. One of the complaints of the KEYone is that when scrolling with the keyboard, there are instances where your finger slides over the keyboard and lands on the capacitive keys. This results in you accidentally pressing the recent apps key or even exiting an app.

Switching to on-screen keys while maintaining the bezel if they wish would have been better. Once the phone senses you are scrolling, the on-screen keys fade away. This way, even if you accidentally land on the display, you don’t exit the app or open the recent apps menu.

The rear looks good too. Gone is the large circular housing of the KEYone. In its place are dual cameras that share a single housing with a LED flash on the right. The upper part of the back is covered with smooth leather while the rest of the back is textured for a better grip.

The BlackBerry Athena has a metal frame with a brushed finish. There are antenna lines at the top and all the buttons are on the right. We have a single long volume rocker, a power button, and a textured Convenience Key. The SIM tray is now on the left.

The button placement is another problem we have with this device. Another complaint with the KEYone is that the button arrangement doesn’t make it easy to mount the phone. Users will experience the same problem with the Athena as you will only be able to mount it at the bottom.

The BlackBerry Athena has a USB-C port flanked by speaker grilles at the bottom. There is also a 3.5mm audio jack at the top. Overall, this is a better-designed phone than the KEYone though with a few unresolved flaws.

READ MORE: BlackBerry Ghost Pro Makes Appearance in Leaked Render

The BlackBerry Athena should launch as the successor to the KEYone. It is expected to come with a more powerful processor and even more RAM. There is still no news about a release date yet, so there is still some waiting to do.

(Source, Via)

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Last week, TCL-owned BlackBerry announced its new phone — BlackBerry Keyone Bronze Edition. As the name itself suggests, the distinguishing feature of the phone from the original one is the presence of bronze color on its frame and part of the back cover.

Today, the company announced that it has started taking pre-orders for the new colour option in China, making it the first market where the phone is available for purchase. In China, the device is being marketed as Elite Edition and has been listed on JD.com for pre-order. It is priced at 3,699 Yuan, which roughly converts to $575, which is same as the Black or Silver version. The shipment for the phone will begin on 23rd January.

At the time of announcement at CES, the company said that the Bronze Edition will be officially launched in the market starting from Q1 2018 in select markets, including Asian, European, and Middle East countries. In some regions, the device will be available with Dual SIM capabilities.

Apart from the colour change, everything else remains same on the device. To remind you of the specifications, the BlackBerry Keyone Bronze Edition features a 4.5-inch display with a Full HD resolution of 1060 x 1620 pixels.

The phone, which comes with a physical QWERTY keyboard, is powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor with two variants based on memory configuration — 3GB RAM or 4GB RAM and 32GB internal storage or 64GB onboard storage.

Read More: Rumored BlackBerry KEYone Successor Surfaces on Benchmarking Site Geekbench

It has a primary camera of 12-megapixel, while the secondary camera has an 8-megapixel resolution. The device runs on Android 7.1 Nougat operating system and is powered by a 3,505mAh battery. BlackBerry is reportedly working on the Android 8.0 Oreo update for the device, which could be available soon.

(Source)

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Big news for BlackBerry at CES 2018: the company, actually owned by TCL, has announced a Bronze Edition of its latest device, which is the BlackBerry Keyone. As the name suggests, the new variant distinguishes from the original one for the bronze color, which we can see on its frame and part of the back cover. It has also been confirmed that TCL will release at least two more BB smartphones in 2018, as it is satisfied with the results of the partnership with the Canadian company. Unfortunately, we do not have any info about the next BlackBerry phones, we can only expect a successor of Motion and a successor of Keyone, which are the devices released in the last year.

The Bronze Edition will be officially launched in the market starting from Q1 2018, and it will be available in select markets which will include Asian, European, and Middle East countries. In some of these select markets, the phone will also be equipped with a dual SIM slot to use two phone numbers on the same device. If we exclude the color, the specs of the Keyone remain exactly the same as the standard version. The handset has a 4.5-inch display with a FHD resolution of 1060 x 1620 pixels and also a physical QWERTY keyboard.

Under the hood, it sports an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 SoC, 3 or 4 GB of RAM and 32 or 64 GB of internal storage depending on the variant chosen. Its main camera has a resolution of 12 MP, while the secondary camera has an 8 MP resolution. The battery has a capacity of 3505 mAh and the operating system installed is Android 7.1 Nougat. In the meantime, the Motion has just hit the U.S. market and it will be available to purchase starting from January 12 with a price tag of $449.99. BlackBerry is actually working on the Android 8.0 Oreo update for both the phone, so expect it to arrive soon.

(Via)

 For coverage from CES 2018, check out this link! 

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The BBF100-1 is speculated as the successor edition of BlackBerry KEYone. In the previous month, a user agent profile had appeared on TCL’s website which suggested that it could be working on a successor phone for BlackBerry KEYone.

It was found that the model number of the smartphone is BBF100-1 and it is driven by Snapdragon 660 chipset. It was also revealed that it will be equipped QWERTY keyboard and its display carries support for a resolution of 1620 x 1080 pixels. It indicates that the screen will deliver an aspect ratio of 3:2.

Read More: BlackBerry Tests QNX-Based Self-Driving Car In Ottawa

On Geekbench, the BBF100-1 is seen loaded with Android 8.0 Oreo. The benchmarking platform also shows that the KEYOne’s successor is driven by Snapdragon 660 and 6 GB of RAM. On single-core and multi-core tests, the BBF100-1 has respectively scored 1532 and 4185 points.

The BlackBerry KEYone is one of the well-receive BlackBerry brand phones. Its successor may arrive with “KEYtwo” moniker. The BlackBerry KEYone was officially announced at Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2017. TCL may launch the alleged BlackBerry KEYtwo at the upcoming MWC 2018 that is scheduled to begin from Feb. 26.  More information on the smartphone is expected to emerge in the coming weeks.

(via)

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The BlackBerry KEYone is about six months old, so it doesn’t come as a surprise that TCL is already working on a successor. A user agent profile seen on TCL’s website has revealed details of the successor.

The phone’s official name is currently unknown but it’s model number is BBF100-1. This is similar to that of the KEYone which is BBB100-1. It will have a QWERTY keyboard, the same 1620 x 1080 screen resolution as its predecessor, and swap the Snapdragon 625 mobile platform for a Snapdragon 660.

The processor seems to be the main upgrade and it is nice to see TCL go for a more powerful chip and not the Snapdragon 626. Other specs that may get upgraded include the cameras and possibly battery. Features like RAM and storage may remain the same.

READ MORE: BlackBerry Motion Officially Unveiled with IP67 Body, 4,000mAh Battery

When the phone launches, we expect it will come with Android 8.0 Oreo out of the box. Blackberry says the KEYone will get updated to Oreo, so it only makes sense that its successor runs it out of the box.

Do you own a KEYone? What features do you want TCL to add to the second generation model?

(Via)

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In bid to survive fierce competition from rival brands, BlackBerry had introduced BlackBerry 10 operating system by its QNX division in 2013. Neither the OS nor the smartphones built to run on it had helped the Canadian company to increase its dying market share. To prevent the demise of the BlackBerry brand, the company’s CEO John Chen applied a new strategy in 2016 that has assisted in rebuilding the popularity of the brand.

In 2016, BlackBerry Limited officially confirmed that it will not be competing in the smartphone market directly. The company now focuses on licensing its software and brand. TCL is now manufacturing and selling smartphones with BlackBerry branding. The first BlackBerry phones made by TCL include DTEK50 and DTEK60. In this year, it has released BlackBerry KEYOne and BlackBerry Motion. These smartphones have been well-received by critics and consumers.

In Q2 2016, BlackBerry had earned $15 million in licensing fees. By generating $56 million, it has earned around fourfold licensing fees in the same quarter this year. BlackBerry is now focusing on providing secure software for financial institutions in order to protect them from cyber threats. The company is also concentrating in automotive industry as it is providing software for infotainment systems and self-driving vehicles. BlackBerry’s apps are also available on Google Play Store.

In 2010, Chen the then CEO for Sybase had struck a $6 million deal that allowed SAP to acquire Sybase. With a reputation of a turnaround artist, Chen had joined BlackBerry as an interim CEO in 2013. The BlackBerry brand was about to die, but under the supervision of Chen, the company had launched Android phones like BlackBerry Priv and BlackBerry Passport that received good reviews from critics.

Read More: BlackBerry and Timex May Collaborate to Launch a Smartwatch

At present, the company’s stock has jumped to 66 percent in this year and since the company is generating revenue, it appears that Chen’s strategy has helped in regaining popularity of the BlackBerry brand in the smartphone market. Since the customers of BlackBerry are mostly companies that are listed with New York Stock Exchange, Chen has moved the shares of the company from NSADAQ to NYSE with BB ticker symbol. He has also stated the transformation of BlackBerry is complete.

Do you like the new BlackBerry phones made by TCL? Share us your thoughts by adding your comments below.

(source)

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TCL, the Chinese firm that owns BlackBerry Mobile had held its IFA 2017 press event today. During the press meet, TCL revealed the market response of the BlackBerry KEYone and it also confirmed some of the features of a new smartphone that would be unveiling in October.

According to TCL, it has adopted a sequential release strategy for the BlackBerry KEYone. The smartphone that has been brought to 35 markets is a runaway success and it will be released in 15 more markets by the end of this year. The company claims that 50 percent of the BlackBerry KEYone units have been bought by business for their employees whereas the remaining 50 percent have been by people who use it as a work phone through the (BYOD – Bring Your Own Device program).

The BlackBerry KEYone enabled with DTEK by BlackBerry app provides robust security makes it a reliable device for enterprise use. The Chinese desires to be the number one iOS alternative in the enterprise market.

Read More: BlackBerry KEYone Limited Edition Black Released In India

As far as the new BlackBerry smartphone is concerned, the Global General Manager of TCL, Francois Mahieu is of the view that it will be able to attract iPhone and Samsung Galaxy users to switch to the upcoming BlackBerry smartphone. The name of the smartphone that will be advertised for its durability and longevity is under the wraps. Hence, the smartphone will be coming with a IP67 certified dust and water-resistant chassis and a large-sized battery that will be able to deliver two days of usage by charging it only once.

It will be running on Android Nougat OS that will be fortified with BlackBerry’s security features. The specifications of this smartphone have not been revealed. Reports suggest that it could be an all-touch smartphone like the BlackBerry DTEK 60 from last year.

In June, Evan Blass had claimed that Juno and Krypton are the codenames of the two upcoming BlackBerry smartphones. Speculations indicate that these phones may launch as BlackBerry DTEK series of smartphones.

One of them seems to have cleared Bluetooth SIG certification yesterday. Thee model number of this smartphone is BBD100-1. This smartphone could be new BlackBerry phone that will debut in October. The user agent profile of BBD100-1 has revealed that it features a full HD display, Snapdragon 625 chipset and 4 GB of RAM.

(source 1, 2, 3)

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A few weeks ago, BlackBerry opened an official account on Chinese social media platform Weibo, signifying its return to China. Now it is set to launch its first product and judging from the teaser poster, its none other than the BlackBerry KEYOne.

The KEYOne was released back in February at MWC 2017 and is already on sale in different markets such as the US and the UK. The smartphone’s selling point is its physical keyboard, a rare feature in smartphones these days.

The KEYOne has a 4.5-inch 1620 x 1080 display and a QWERTY keyboard that also doubles as a large track-pad. There is a fingerprint scanner underneath the space button.

It has a Snapdragon 625 processor paired with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. The KEYOne has a microSD card slot, so that 32GB can get up to an additional 2TB of space. Battery capacity is 3505mAh and supports Quick Charge 3.0.

The rear camera is a 12MP Sony IMX378  with dual-tone flash and there is an 8MP front facing camera. There is is NFC, a USB Type-C 3.1 port, and an earphone jack at the top. It also runs Android 7.1 Nougat.

It is unknown if BlackBerry will release it in China with a different configuration like other manufacturers do with their flagships.

READ MORE: BlackBerry Aurora Officially Launched; Pre-orders for First Dual-SIM BlackBerry Phone Begins

The price for the BlackBerry KEYOne in China is still a secret but if the configuration remains the same as above, it may get a lesser price tag compared to the $549 internatioal price. Reason is because the KEYOne is made by TCL, a Chinese smartphone company which is currently one of those licensed to release phones under the BlackBerry name.

The KEYOne is also expected to launch in India tomorrow.

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Blackberry seems to be making a move to reenter the Chinese market. Although TCL, one of the companies with a license to release smartphones under the BlackBerry name is a Chinese company, its home country hasn’t gotten any of the new releases. It appears that might be changing soon.

Recently, BlackBerry opened an official WeChat account under the name “BlackBerryMobile”, now it has opened an official account on Weibo. The general consensus is that the smartphone company is trying to create a social media presence before launching its new products.

Two phones have been released this year under the Canadian brand. There is the BlackBerry KeyOne that was announced at MWC 2017 and there is the Indonesian exclusive BlackBerry Aurora. The latter isn’t made by TCL but by a joint venture company called PT BB Merah Putih. The Aurora is also the first dual SIM Blackberry phone ever.

READ MORE: It Is A non-Sticky Situation For The Screen of The BlackBerry KEYOne

It is unknown if only the KeyOne will be released in China or the Aurora will follow suit. We might also get to see a new phone.

(Source)

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The BlackBerry KEYOne is now available for purchase in different markets. The TCL made phone has gotten mixed reviews but most people are pleased with the physical keyboard. However, there seems to be an issue with the build quality of the phone.

YouTuber, JerryRigEverything found out in his durability test that the screen of the KEYOne comes off easily. Turns out that the only thing holding the screen in place is the cable from the motherboard. No adhesive, no glue, no sticky tape.

A search on Google later revealed complaints from different owners. Small drops to the floor and the screen pops off. One user even says he woke to see his screen and come off on its own.

READ MORE: Former TCL President Yang Zhe Joins Meizu As Senior VP

There is a chance that the issue is limited to a certain batch that didn’t get glued while passing through the production line. Sadly, there is no way to find out if your phone is affected unless your screen falls off when it drops.

JerryRigEverything advises that you invest in a case with a lip that wraps around the screen.

(Sources: 1, 2)

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BlackBerry KEYone, dubbed as the most secure Android smartphone ever, was introduced at Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2017. TCL, the Chinese firm that oversees hardware and distribution of BlackBerry smartphones is rumored to be working on a midrange smartphone as its freshly leaked photos have surfaced.

One of the key markets where BlackBerry has been consistently doing decent business is Indonesia. In the last quarter of 2016, BlackBerry signed a pact with the Indonesian PT BB Merah Putih for launching BlackBerry devices in the country. In December 2016, a BlackBerry device with model number BBC1001-1 was seen on POSTEL, an Indonesian regulator website.

The leaked images of the mysterious BlackBerry-branded smartphone seem to belong to the BBC1001-1 smartphone that is rumored to be targeted towards Indonesian market.  The leaked images suggest that it may be a midrange smartphone.

Related: Nokia Sued by BlackBerry for Infringing Patents

The first image shows the front side of the device with the BlackBerry logo and company name on the bottom bezel. The second image shows the grey colored rear panel that houses a camera module at the top, a large-sized BlackBerry logo at the center and a speaker grille at the bottom.

According to leaked information that had surfaced in December last year, the BBC100-1, it will be arriving with a 5.5-inch display that will be supporting an HD resolution of 720 x 1280 pixels. It is rumored to be fueled by Snapdragon 425 SoC that features an octa-core processor working at 1.4 GHz.

The SoC is pegged to be supported by 4 GB of RAM.  It is expected to feature 32 GB of native storage. It is speculated to support dual-SIM cards and come equipped with a 3,000 mAh battery.

The leaked photos have reportedly surfaced after TCL CEO Nicolas Zibell confirmed that it will be releasing two more smartphones this year. Speculations hint that one of them is the BBC100-1 midrange phone. However, there is no confirmation on whether the smartphone would be released outside of Indonesia. Rumors have it TCL is also working on successor models for BlackBerry DTEK50 and DTEK60 from last year.

(source)

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Mobile World Congress has begun and the first major launch comes from BlackBerry. Their first phone for the year is the BlackBerry KEYone, which was formerly known as Mercury. It’s not surprising the inspiration for the name comes from the phone’s physical keyboard.

The BlackBerry KEYone sports a 4.5-inch 1620 x 1080 IPS display that sits above a QWERTY keyboard. There is a Snapdragon 625 processor under the hood and a 3505mAh battery with QC 3.0 support for juice. The device comes with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage, though there is a microSD card slot that accepts up to 2TB cards.

Like previously reported, the BlackBerry KEYone does feature the same 12MP Sony IMX378 1.55μm sensor found in the Google Pixel. The front facing camera is an 8MP shooter with an 84° field of view that records 1080p videos at 30fps. The KEYOne has NFC and features a USB Type-C 3.1 port.

READ MORE: BlackBerry and India’s Optiemus Signs Licensing Agreement

BlackBerry’s target market for the KEYone are business professionals. It is evident in the design of the phone which pays homage to the BlackBerry Passport and BlackBerry Classic. It also comes with BlackBerry’s security software and a bunch of BlackBerry apps.

The BlackBerry KEYone comes with Android 7.1 Nougat out of the box and will go on sale in early April for $549.

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