The exclusive global manufacturer and distributor for upcoming BlackBerry-branded smartphones TCL will be showcasing its new BlackBerry Smartphone on Jan. 5, 2017 at CES trade show. What are the phones' new features and specifications are still in a blur as of today.
However, in a recent press release from the company, it highlighted the unveiling of an evolutionary first in the mobile industry. The company pointed out that it will divulge more news at CES around its plans, showcasing the legacy of the BlackBerry smartphone brand, while also giving a glimpse into what new Black Berry smartphones will offer as part of the company's bold new brand portfolio within TCT, GS Marena has learned.
TCL Communication said that the CES presentation will include a first look at how the BlackBerry brand legacy will live on in a new generation of smartphones. Reports said that the development is a building block of the new growth strategy the company is trailing, Gadgets 360 reported. TCL, however, teased consumers that there will be more news to be announced next year during the trade show.
The source also added that the new TCL-made BlackBerry QWERTY device is expected to be the rumored BlackBerry Mercury, whose specifications were leaked online and touted to have a fingerprint sensor integrated into the space bar
It is also seen to have a 3GB of RAM, 32GB of inbuilt storage, a 3400mAh battery, an 18-megapixel rear camera, and an 8-megapixel front-facing camera. . It is also expected to be powered by the Snapdragon 625 CPU, and house a 4.5-inch display. Rumors also circulating that it will run an Android 7.0 Nougat with BlackBerry's own customizations for security.
It is worth noting that China's TCL Communication Technology Holdings Ltd is now the fourth-largest handset maker in North America after BlackBerry Ltd took off its global brand rights. This is the first licensing deal made by BlackBerry since its transition to a software company.