BlackBerry 5G smartphone with qwerty keyboard to launch this year

BlackBerry isn’t done with the smartphone market as it plans to make a comeback this year under its new company, OnwardMobility. BlackBerry-branded smartphones with 5G are launching later this year.

BlackBerry’s partnership with TCL ended last year, and after a few months it signed with OnwardMobility. CEO Peter Franklin confirmed new BlackBerry phones for this year with the familiar physical keyboard but modern features inside, IT Home reported. The company is currently working with Foxconn to develop a new BlackBerry 5G smartphone with a physical keyboard, the report added.

This isn’t the first we’re hearing about a new BlackBerry smartphone. It was reported last year that BlackBerry will make a return to Europe and North America this year under a licensing partnership with OnwardMobility and FIH Mobile Limited. The latest report adds that this BlackBerry phone will be launched in Asia as well. OnwardMobility will also develop the BlackBerry smartphone with security in mind.

A specific launch timeline for the smartphone launch hasn’t been announced yet. This will be the second attempt at reviving BlackBerry phones in the market after TCL acquired the rights back in 2016. The company launched four BlackBerry smartphones during this period. In India, the BlackBerry smartphones were launched by Optiemus Infracom.

We’re expecting to see the familiar BlackBerry design in the new smartphone. The design may not stand out much as the BlackBerry phones under TCL also come with the classic qwerty keyboard. These smartphones run on Android, and are equipped with BlackBerry’s security apps. It’s interesting to see if BlackBerry can make a successful comeback this time.