BlackBerry has had a strange few years but the company has now inadvertently revealed details of what looks to be an attractive Android-powered smartphone.
Once an icon of the cellphone business, BlackBerry struggled to adapt to the smartphone era. However the company now has a strong software business and a range of good-looking Android-powered smartphones. The leak was published by BlackBerry itself at the company website, in a file called specifications-a-donotpublish.html.
Technical specifications inadvertently published online
The file relates to the DTEK60 smartphone, which was previously known as Argon. Given the name of the file it seems that BlackBerry didn’t want the public to see the information quite yet. The page does not contain any information on pricing or availability.
BlackBerry previously released a more affordable Android-powered smartphone called the DTEK50. While their names might be similar, the DTEK60 is in fact a completely different device.
It has a bigger, higher-quality display and a formidable processor. The specs show that the DTEK60 is firmly a high-end device, with some truly impressive components.
The 2560 x 1440 display is a 5.5-inch unit, and under the hood lurks a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 64-bit Quad-Core SoC, Adreno 530 GPU and 4GB RAM. There will be 32 GB internal storage and USB Type-C compatibility.
No physical keyboard for BlackBerry DTEK60
A 3,000 mAh non-removable battery should offer decent battery life, while QC3.0 (Quick Charge) is enabled. You can snap away with a 21-megapixel rear camera, or take selfies with the 8-megapixel front camera.
There is also a fingerprint sensor for security, and a convenience key. The DTEK60 doesn’t have the traditional physical keyboard adored by BlackBerry fans, but rumor has it that the company will release another more traditional device before the year is out.
BlackBerry fans are sure to be excited by the DTEK60. It certainly looks as though it can compete with the big boys of the smartphone world.
The device will run Android 6.0 Marshmallow, coupled with BlackBerry’s quality productivity and security software. The company has previously struggled to entice buyers with its latest hardware efforts, but things could be different with the DTEK60.
Can BlackBerry revive hardware business?
On September 28 BlackBerry has an earnings call during which it will be revealed just how well its Android-powered smartphones have boosted the hardware business. Should there be positive signs, we may well see more devices like the DTEK60.
The specifications for the new phone show that BlackBerry is gunning for the Samsung Galaxy S7 and Galaxy Note 7 with its latest effort, as well as other flagship devices. However the current crop of smartphones provide tough competition, and BlackBerry needs to do more than simply stuff the DTEK60 with great components.
Rival devices from the likes of Samsung, HTC, Motorola and Sony are some of the best-looking smartphones available. Most are made from high-end materials such as aluminum and glass, and consumers are increasingly concerned with the build quality of premium devices. If BlackBerry really wants to compete, it will have to come up with a cutting edge design.
The DTEK50 form factor was less than impressive, and the DTEK60 will need to step things up in this regard. There are plenty of people rooting for the return of BlackBerry to the big leagues of mobile technology. Here’s hoping that the company doesn’t let its fans down with its upcoming crop of Android-powered smartphones.
