Tag: new blackberry device

On the heels of an announcement of an exit from the in-house hardware market, it unveiled a new device.

CEO John Chen recently announced that his company would no longer be manufacturing hardware, following up with an announcement that BlackBerry branded smartphones are on the way. The company has revealed to upcoming launch of a new physical keyboard phone release. This new mobile device will hit the shelves within the next six months.

This announcement was made by a top sales executive at BlackBerry within an interview with the BBC.

Alex Thurber, the senior vice president of global device sales, explained that he was aware that the company’s withdrawal from in-house hardware production would make headlines. He added that they were counting on the headlines to draw attention to the company. Then, he explained that BlackBerry branded smartphones would continue to be produced. They will be manufactured by third party suppliers.

The next smartphone to wear the company’s logo will feature its distinctive physical keyboard. In a market where many devices look exceptionally similar, BlackBerry continually tries to stand out.

The next BlackBerry branded smartphones will have the physical keyboard many users love.

The company will rely on its partners to produce the new keyboarded smartphone. It had previously been leaked that BlackBerry was designing a couple of additional devices. When John Chen announced the end of the company’s hardware manufacturing, it looked like those smartphones were scrapped.

According to Thurber, Chen didn’t discuss those models during the previous announcement as final decisions had not yet been made. He didn’t know if they would be brought to market. Now it appears that the decisions have been made. “There will still be a keyboard-based BlackBerry device, designed and distributed within the next six months,” said Thurber.

He pointed out that the keyboards in the BlackBerry branded smartphones will set them apart from Samsung and Apple. Those industry leaders offer exclusively touch screen keyboards. “think there’s a demand for keyboard phones. As we’ve been showing mockups of what we’ve been working on, to our carrier and distributor partners, they are very excited about this,” explained Thurber.

The Canadian company is releasing its newest Passport smartphone today.

BlackBerry Passport is set to be officially unveiled today, Wednesday, September 24, 2014, and without a carrier contract in the United States, the price of the device will be US$599, which is about $50 to $250 less expensive than the variety of models of Samsung’s Galaxy S5 and Apple’s iPhone 6 currently available on the market.

The lower price could give Blackberry an advantage over its competition.

Although its specifications are similar to other smartphones, one of the primary features that sets the Passport apart from other devices is its full HD 4.5 inch square screen, which is said to provide a viewing space that is comparable to a 5-inch phone, but with a superior viewing experience due to the width of the screen.

According to the company, the shape makes it easier and more comfortable for users to view data and activities on their screen compared to the standard rectangular-shaped screens. Furthermore, just like its name, the new device is shaped like an actual passport. This design was intentional, allowing the phone to easily fit into a small airport portfolio or breast pocket.

In addition, similar to the most popular devices released by the Canadian telecommunication and wireless equipment company, the Passport features a physical keyboard. BlackBerry intends to sell its new mobile phone at wireless stores and is hoping to secure large orders of the phone from corporate customers.

This latest release from BlackBerry will be the first completely new device from the company to be launched globally since the BlackBerry 10 devices and since John Chen took over as CEO almost a year ago, a move that was made to help improve the struggling firm.

Full details about the BlackBerry Passport will be revealed at the event.

Many details regarding the BlackBerry Passport have been kept quiet and will be released today at the official unveiling, which is to take place during a media event in multiple cities including Toronto, London and Dubai. In addition to the Passport, it is also believed that the Blackberry Classic will be launched at the multi-city event.