BlackBerry, FIH Mobile, and OnwardMobility have signed an agreement to launch a new BlackBerry brand smartphone in the first half of 2021.
The new handset will support 5G connectivity, come equipped with a physical keyboard, and provide class-leading security, a unique combination of features for governments and businesses.
But apparently there is one feature that tops them all.
The handset
Under the terms of the agreement, OnwardMobility will plan and sell the upcoming 5G BlackBerry smartphone, FIH Mobile will engineer and manufacture the device, while BlackBerry will provide enterprise and government security technologies for the upcoming handset. The product will be available in North America and Europe, so for other brands BlackBerry may choose a different production partner.
The press release issued by the three companies did not reveal details about the upcoming BlackBerry 5G smartphone other than to say that it will have a QWERTY keyboard, a 5G-enabled mobile platform, use Google’s Android operating system, and support enhanced security technologies. Meanwhile, the PR states that the product will be available in the first half of 2021, which may indicate that the development of the handset is well underway.
“Enterprise professionals are envious of secure 5G devices that enable productivity without sacrificing the user experience,” said Peter Franklin, CEO of OnwardMobility. “BlackBerry smartphones are known for protecting communications, privacy and data. This is an incredible opportunity for OnwardMobility to launch next-generation 5G devices with the support of BlackBerry and FIH Mobile. ”
Unusual things
Historically, companies, governments and businesses were happy enough with their BlackBerry smartphones that offer secure communication services, a physical keyboard and other benefits premium handsets at that time. But it will not be easy to make a 5G BlackBerry smartphone popular.
In fact, most people these days are accustomed to touchscreen handsets, but not to physical keyboards, it is not like the latter are less comfortable to use, people are just fine with virtual. Second, there are not that many loyal BlackBerry owners left, which means that OnwardMobility may have to address a niche market. Third, if OnwardMobility and FIH Mobile manage to come up with a unique sales feature, it will have to be a feature that offers endurance capabilities offered by dozens of current smartphones available.
“Assuming they are in the range of £ 500 – £ 800, they will go for phones like the iPhone 11, and devices that pack six cameras and the latest Qualcomm chipset,” said Ben Wood, an analyst with CCS Insight , to The Register. “That’s a very, very tough space, and they’ll need something exceptional.”
Apparently there is such a feature
FIH Mobile is a subsidiary of Foxconn Technology Group, the world’s largest contract maker of electronics. One important thing to note about FIH Mobile is that it is the owner of a former Nokia manufacturing facility in Hanoi, Vietnam. Keeping in mind tensions between the US and China, Foxconn’s base of operations, producing BlackBerry 5G smartphones in Vietnam makes a lot of sense, especially considering natural customers for BlackBerry handsets are governments and corporations operating in various regulated industries.
Governments tend to set up extra regulations, lifting is another matter and can take years. Because of this, as at one point the US government and its allies in Europe decided not to make smartphones made in China for sensitive communication, this is where OnwardsMobility and FIH Mobile can win big.
FIH specifically notes in the press release that it would manufacture the 5G BlackBerry devices ‘under strict guidelines to ensure component, device or supply chain integrity’.
Not using Chinese parts is relatively easy: there are chips and displays made in South Korea and Taiwan, smaller components are made elsewhere. Meanwhile, ensuring a very strict integrity and an end-to-end protected supply chain is complicated. So far, OnwardMobility and FIH have said nothing about complying with the NIST SP 800-193 platform firmware resiliency guidelines as the latest international Common Criteria standard (ISO 15408, CC Version 3.1) for making safe products.
Meanwhile, although not immediately stated, it is entirely possible that the two companies have plans to build BlackBerry smartphones according to all security standards. Certifications of production facilities take time, but OnwardsMobility and FIH have months before announcing the first BlackBerry 5G handset (which is likely to take place at Mobile World Congress 2021) and more than half a year before shipping.
If this is the case, the two companies might capture a very lucrative market segment by offering unique products with extended security.
“As an exclusive supplier to OnwardMobility, we are engaged in bringing new BlackBerry 5G devices to the market, leveraging our deep expertise in design, manufacturing, parts supply and logistics management,” said Dr. Wen-Yi Kuo, Executive Director, FIH Mobile.
Another win for Foxconn
FIH Mobility currently produces smartphones with Nokia brands developed by HMD Global. The deal with BlackBerry and OnwardMobility gives FIH Mobile an extra brand and a new brand segment to tackle, which reduces Foxconn’s confidence in Apple, its largest customer, a profit for the company.
Sources: OnwardMobility, The Register
