BlackBerry to make comeback with 5G phone in 2021

The new BlackBerry 5G Phone will have the trademark physical QWERTY keypad

With the advent of Apple iPhones and Android phones, popular mobile brand BlackBerry almost went out of business in the early 2010s. It made a comeback, a few years ago with Android-powered phones made by a China-based licensee TCL. But, it couldn't make any inroads in global markets.

Now, for the second time, BlackBerry has confirmed to take another shot at smartphone business in 2021, but this time with two new partners--OnwardMobility and FIH Mobile Limited, a subsidiary of Foxconn. The latter has famous clients including Apple and Xiaomi.

The joint-venture project envisions to bring the BlackBerry-branded 5G phone next year.

“Enterprise professionals are eager for 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 bring next-generation 5G devices to market with the backing of BlackBerry and FIH Mobile.”

OnwardMobility says it will be conducting product planning and market development for BlackBerry smartphones in North America, while FIH Mobile will take care of the design and manufacturing of the BlackBerry devices under strict guidelines to ensure component, device and supply chain integrity.

The BlackBerry phone will be powered by Android OS and yes, it will come with the trademark physical QWERTY keyboard. It will be initially made available in North America and Europe in the first half of 2021.

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