BlackBerry phones experienced a resurgence in 2016 when TCL became the exclusive global manufacturer of hardware for their devices. The KeyOne and Key2 were solid options for customers crazy about physical keyboards, and it was satisfying to see the historic market place. Earlier this year brought some sad news for the future of the market, as TCL completely ended the partnership. Now it looks like BlackBerry is once again popping up from the ground up with a new partner’s 5G device.
A Texas startup called OnwardMobility is licensed for the market this time around, with a 5G-capable BlackBerry phone set to launch next year. Although we do not yet know many details about the device, says CEO of OnwardMobility, Peter Franklin, to expect something that focuses on security, enables productivity, and has a “top-notch camera.” The specs are likely to be a bit short of the usual flagship, and price is said to be competitive.
The device will run Android and has 5G connectivity and a physical keyboard. OnwardMobility is aimed at enterprise customers who can improve their labor productivity with (theoretically) much faster network speeds and lower latency. FIH Mobile, a subsidiary of Foxconn, will be responsible for manufacturing the hardware. The 5G BlackBerry device will sometime launch in North America and Europe in the first half of 2021. Will OnwardMobility grow the BlackBerry brand into something lovely? I think we will find out next year if the new phone is ripe for picking.
