BlackBerry hasn’t given up completely on manufacturing smartphones. There are still some ardent BlackBerry fans eagerly waiting for new releases from the Canadian smartphone maker, and the company does not want to disappoint them. It recently teased an announcement for February 25 on Twitter, confirming that it will unveil a new handset at MWC 2017.
BlackBerry teaser in line with leak and CES
BlackBerry’s announcement will actually come a little before MWC, probably because the company wants to make sure that it doesn’t get lost in the crowd of announcements related to the event, believes Ubergizmo.
25.02.17 #MWC2017 #BlackBerryMobile pic.twitter.com/uChVjp62TJ
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— BlackBerry Mobile (@BBMobile) January 24, 2017
The teaser about the upcoming device shows a smartphone that bears the shape of a candy bar and sports a physical keyboard. The tweet, however, did not make clear what we can expect from the announcement. A leak last year about a BlackBerry “Mercury” looked exactly the same as the phone shown in the teaser, notes Ubergizmo.
Also the teaser is in line with the phone that was shown at CES 2017 earlier this month. However, not many details about the handset were revealed, and presumably, all will be revealed at MWC 2017 next month.
The DTEK50 and DTEK60 were the last two devices from the Canadian firm. Both were full touch-screen handsets. The Canadian firm has lost its most stalwart fans to other brands; thus, it faces an uphill battle with the Mercury. For those fond of devices with a physical keyboard, the upcoming Mercury could prove be the best choice.
Nokia making a comeback too
The responsibility of making and distributing BlackBerry hardware now rests with TCL, the Chinese company that operates the Alcatel brand and now licenses the BlackBerry name. The Canadian firm has retained its position as a software entity that will now work with TCL to add its distinct custom layer of security over Android software. TCL has an ambitious plan to build a portfolio of Blackberry devices, spanning from the high end to more affordable, entry-level phones, and the Mercury (as it’s referred to now) is the first one.
Like BlackBerry, Nokia also wishes to reignite some glory to its heyday. Nokia Mobile — now operated by HMD — is also expected to use MWC to make a global announcement about its Nokia 6, which is sold only in China right now. But unlike the BlackBerry Mercury’s high-end ambitions, the Nokia 6 is very much a low-cost phone
On Tuesday, BlackBerry shares closed up 1.12% at $7.21. Year to date, the stock is up almost 5%, while in the last year, it is up almost 3%.