BlackBerry attempts comeback with Android smartphone, leaked photo shows
BlackBerry is not yet dead. A new leaked photo shows the company's new smartphone that runs the Android mobile operating system.
Just when everyone thought that BlackBerry has waved the white flag, along comes a leaked image of its new smartphone. The upcoming BlackBerry phone still has its trademark QWERTY keyboard, but it surprisingly runs Google's Android OS, according to Mirror.
The photo, which appeared on Twitter on August 19, seems to convey the message that the Canadian smartphone maker may be doing away with its own BlackBerry OS and replace it with Google's Android operating system.
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Based on the photo, the design of the phone is similar to Samsung's Edge device, but it still has its trademark sliding QWERTY keyboard. However, it also has a touchscreen display that can be used when the physical keyboard is tucked away, Value Walk reports.
Although there are some who may be delighted with the return of a physical keyboard in a smartphone, there are also many who have raised concerns about its durability.
Once the leader of the smartphone industry with its business-oriented QWERTY devices, BlackBerry later became the underdog after Apple's iPhone and Samsung's Galaxy devices gained more popularity. But now, the Canadian firm is striving to regain its old glory by taking advantage of the widely popular Android OS, the report details.
BlackBerry was once criticized for its limited apps, but using Android would give it access to Google Play Store's millions of apps.
Evan Blass took to Twitter to reveal the upcoming BlackBerry smartphone, which is a sleek, black unit sporting a slide-down QWERTY keyboard. Blass also posted a GIF image of the sliding keyboard in motion, the report relays.
The last flagship phone the company released was the BlackBerry Passport. Although this phone could load Android apps, users still had to go through Amazon's app store to have access to a limited list of apps.
While the big switch to Android is a very bold move for privacy-centered BlackBerry, it could also help turn the company around and restore its place in the mobile market, the report predicts.
The price and the release date of the mysterious BlackBerry Android smartphone are yet to be confirmed. But Value Walk says the new device will be called BlackBerry Venice and will be released this November.
