OnwardMobility, a Texas-based startup and the brand new BlackBerry licensee, might be launching 5G-enabled smartphones in 2021. These Blackberry smartphones might be obtainable in choose areas in North America, Europe and Asia. The new telephones may even function a QWERTY keyboard.
Blackberry was as soon as on the prime of the highest gamers of the enterprise smartphone market. The model led with its robust emphasis on typing expertise, connectivity and security measures. However, the comfort and ease of use that was dropped at the desk with the introduction of touchscreen-based smartphone shortly drove the model to near-extinction.
Blackberry tried to maintain up with the launch of the Z collection smartphones, together with the Z10 that launched in 2013. However, the Z collection wasn’t very wanted when it got here to usability in comparison with the iOS and Android working programs, which by then had already turn out to be fairly well-liked. Blackberry OS 10 then again additionally had fewer apps than its two largest rivals.
Hence, the Z collection and the brand new Q collection that had launched alongside it proved to be a dead-end for the model. An Android-based BlackBerry Priv that was launched in 2015 and subsequently the Blackberry Key collection didn’t make issues higher for the model both. This led TCL Communications to finish its partnership with the corporate in 2020.
Blackberry and OnwardMobility be a part of forces
Things modified when Blackberry introduced a licensing partnership with OnwardMobility and FIH Mobile Limited, a subsidiary of Foxconn Technology Group, to launch new smartphones with the basic QWERTY keyboard Blackberry was recognized for. In 2020, OnwardMobility had confirmed that the upcoming BlackBerry smartphones wouldn’t solely pack a QWERTY keypad but additionally assist the 5G community. They would additionally run on Android software program.
“OnwardMobility will deliver a BlackBerry 5G smartphone device with a physical keyboard, leveraging our high standards of trust and security synonymous with our brand,” John Chen Executive Chairman and CEO at Blackberry mentioned. “We are excited that customers will experience the enterprise and government level security and mobile productivity the new BlackBerry 5G smartphone will offer,” Chen added.
The partnership means BlackBerry offers OnwardMobility the precise to develop, engineer, and convey to market a BlackBerry 5G cellular gadget. With privateness changing into a rising concern, Blackberry’s experience and status in safe gadgets may simply be what the model must make its reboot profitable this yr.
