BlackBerry planning another exclusive Porsche handset

The phone maker is once again teaming up with the German carmaker's design studio to create a premium smartphone. Based on the current Z10 full touch-screen handset, the device, expected to be called the P9982 when it launches sometime next year.

Porsche-Design-P-9981-Smartphone-from-BlackBerry-Photo-AFP

The phone maker is once again teaming up with the German carmaker's design studio to create a premium smartphone.

Based on the current Z10 full touch-screen handset, the device, expected to be called the P9982 when it launches sometime next year, has undergone the full Porsche Design treatment That means a subtle angular curve to the base and an edge-to-edge wrapping of the screen bezel. The rear of the device is finished in textured leather for better grip while the font panel's aluminum appears to be finished in a shade of grey that will be more than familiar to Porsche 911 aficionados.

Despite continuing uncertainty about BlackBerry's future as both a phone maker and as a smartphone operating system, its partnership with Porsche continues to pay dividends. As well as wining numerous awards and a host of critical acclaim, the premium phones are a hit with executives that pride exclusivity as highly as whether or not a device features Angry Birds or Instagram.

For example the Porsche Design P'9981 Smartphone from BlackBerry, which launched in 2012 and is based on an old BlackBerry Bold 9900, scooped the 2013 Red Dot Best of the Best Design Award for technology. An extremely limited edition solid gold plated edition has just launched for the not inconsiderable sum of $1900.

According to Vietnamese tech blog Tinhte, who has also managed to snag some high-quality leaked images, the P9982 is expected to retail for $2,000 when it rolls on to the market.