BlackBerry Phones Are Coming Back Next Year, Complete With 5G And Physical Keyboards

The rumors of BlackBerry’s demise have been greatly exaggerated. Quite often, mind you. The BlackBerry phones are set to make a comeback next year, and this time, the phones will be exclusively made by US based security startup OnwardMobility. This will be the new home of BlackBerry phones after the previous partnership with TCL came to an end earlier this year with the contract not being renewed. Over the past few years, TCL has made BlackBerry branded phones running the Android smartphone operating system. It is confirmed that the new BlackBerry phones will be 5G, but we don’t know how many new phones will be launched. The BlackBerry phones have been well known for the focus on security and that isn’t changing anytime soon. OnwardMobility says that the new BlackBerry phones they are developing will be the “most secure mobile devices ever created”.

BlackBerry believes that particularly at this time when the Coronavirus pandemic has shifted everyone to the work from home routine, data security becomes even more important. “BlackBerry smartphones are known for protecting communications, privacy, and data. This is an incredible opportunity for OnwardMobility to bring next-generation 5G devices to market with the backing of BlackBerry and FIH Mobile,” says Peter Franklin, CEO of OnwardMobility. “BlackBerry is thrilled OnwardMobility will deliver a BlackBerry 5G smartphone device with physical keyboard leveraging our high standards of trust and security synonymous with our brand,” says John Chen, Executive Chairman and CEO, BlackBerry. The company also says they will be working with BlackBerry and FIH Mobile, a subsidiary of Foxconn Technology Group, to design and manufacture the upcoming line-up of BlackBerry phones. It is not clear yet when the first of the next line of BlackBerry phones will be launched, but US and Europe will get a first taste of the return of BlackBerry to the smartphone market.