BlackBerry KEY2 Lite to Be Cheaper, Not Smaller

Look to La Luna. (I wonder how many of you are going to get that somewhat obscure reference.) Way back when, we heard that TCL was planning to release three BlackBerry smartphones in 2018. There has already been the all touchscreen BlackBerry Motion and the QWERTY keyboard-touting BlackBerry KEY2. For their third outing this year, it looks like we’re getting a cheaper version of the KEY2. It’s currently codenamed Luna but may come to market as the BlackBerry KEY2 Lite. And not the Mini.

*This plastic 'Berry is said to launch late August / early September, perhaps at IFA.

— Evan Blass (@evleaks) July 18, 2018

We’re getting this information from a tweet by @evleaks Evan Blass, wherein he says the BlackBerry KEY2 Lite is not the Mini because “they supposedly have the same form factor.” That means we can likely expect the more affordable smartphone to sport the same 4.5-inch display and full QWERTY keyboard as its more expensive counterpart.

And really, as I mentioned in my review of the KEY2, my three main gripes about the device were its less than flagship performance, its odd aspect ratio on the screen, and the higher price point. If the BlackBerry KEY2 Lite is that much cheaper, then we can be much more forgiving about performance. And then the screen shape is just a trade you absorb to get the physical keyboard.

While nothing has been confirmed just yet, we’re also hearing that the KEY2 Lite will come in three different colors: red, blue and copper. We can see the red frame around the supposed “leaked” photo above. To cut costs further, the phone will likely be made with more plastic and it’ll get a processor that’s even less powerful than the mid-range Snapdragon 660 in the KEY2. You do get to keep the dual cameras on the back though.

In any case, it doesn’t look like we’ll have to wait that long to find out, as Evan predicts “this plastic ‘Berry” will launch in late August or early September. That would align with IFA in Berlin. Would you buy a KEY2 Lite? What do you think is the magic sweet spot for pricing?