BlackBerry KEYone Follows in Priv’s Footsteps

The rumored device we once knew as the BlackBerry Mercury has now been formally unveiled at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. Say hello to the QWERTY-touting BlackBerry KEYone.

Unlike the touchscreen-only DTEK60 and DTEK50, the BlackBerry KEYone returns to the company’s roots by sporting a physical keyboard. But of course, this is no ordinary keyboard. The TCL-developed device has a touch sensitive keyboard that lets you swipe around to navigate and to predict your words. The spacebar also doubles as a fingerprint sensor.

To accommodate the keyboard, the 4.5-inch display has a unique 3:2 aspect ratio and a 1620 x 1080 pixel resolution. Compare that to the 5.4-inch 2560 x 1440 pixel screen on 2015’s BlackBerry Priv. Indeed, while the Priv was clearly being marketed as a high-end device, the BlackBerry KEYone is decidedly midrange. You won’t find an 800-series chip here, for instance.

Rather, it’s merely Snapdragon 625 (octa-core 2.0GHz) with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of onboard storage. It comes preloaded with Android 7.1 Nougat, along with the BlackBerry DTEK security suite. There’s a 12MP camera on the back, an 8MP camera on the front, a 3,505 mAh battery inside, a reassuring aluminum frame, and a textured back for a premium feel.

I don’t think anyone expects this to skyrocket the BlackBerry brand back into the conversation, but it could be compelling for people who are still bent on a physical keyboard. Expect the BlackBerry KEYone to ship globally starting in April for US$549/€599/£499 or less.