BlackBerry announced a new partnership deal with OnwardMobility and FIH Mobile Limited to develop and manufacture a brand new smartphone for release at some stage in 2021 under the name BlackBerry. Onward Mobility says these new phones will be “highly secure” and will offer a “suite of end-to – end security solutions.” However, these security features and solutions have not been elaborated by the company.
Evidently, it stresses the high degree of protection and privacy of the BlackBerry brand as a key selling point, and although the tone of its website and press release indicates that it primarily targets companies and governments with its new handset, Digital Trends has verified with the company that it will also market potential devices to the general public. Given how tough a period BlackBerry has faced in recent years, it’s an odd move and one that the diehard fanbase would welcome. It is not yet clear how OnwardMobility plans to sell its own BlackBerry phone to who are used to smartphones with large touch screens, with a physical keyboard, and at a time when folding phones are just beginning to turn heads. We’ll find out more as we get to know more about the product.
