BlackBerry has confirmed that it will launch its last in-house designed smartphone at Mobile World Congress 2017. A teaser of the handset confirms it will feature the much-loved and iconic physical QWERTY keyboard that has defined the former smartphone king.
Mobile World Congress 2017 To Launch New Smartphones
Mobile World Congress 2017, which begins on Feb. 27 is quickly approaching, and the trade show is expected to see the launch of some highly anticipated smartphones from some of the biggest in the game. Samsung is rumored to privately show off its next generation flagship Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus to select partners, with an official launch reportedly taking place on March 29.
LG will continue its tradition of using MWC to launch its latest flagship handset, and it's all but confirmed the company will announce the LG G6.
BlackBerry Plans To Go Classic With QWERTY-Equipped Mercury
BlackBerry is also set to unveil a new flagship, premium smartphone at MWC 2017 with its BlackBerry Mercury. The company just confirmed the much-hyped handset via a Twitter tease with the message posted by TCL President and General Manager Steve Cistulli.
"Bringing something distinctly different to #MWC2017 #BlackBerryMobile."
There's also an accompanying GIF of the QWERTY-equipped smartphone that shows off its physical QWERTY keyboard and 4.5-inch display.
BlackBerry Mercury Display And Iconic Keyboard
The BlackBerry Mercury is expected to feature a 4.5-inch 1,620 x 1,080 dual curved edge display, and unlike the BlackBerry Priv, the Mercury's keyboard does not slide close when not in use, and its design looks more like a classic BlackBerry from years ago. The keyboard also houses the company's first handset with a fingerprint scanner, which is located in the space key of the physical keyboard.
The BlackBerry Mercury will reportedly be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 octa-core processor, 3 GB of RAM, and run a near-fresh stock build of Android 7.0 Nougat, with a few customizations from BlackBerry. The smartphone is said to include 32 GB of internal storage, which will be expandable, thanks to an included microSD slot that will allow users to add memory to the smartphone.
BlackBerry Mercury Camera Capabilities
In terms of camera capabilities, it's believed that BlackBerry opted for an 18-megapixel rear camera with optical image stabilization, dual-LED flash, ability to capture 4K video, and an 8-megapixel front-facing shooter for selfies and video chat. The smartphone is expected to pack in a large 3,400 mAh battery, which could provide up to two full days of battery life.
In late December, we reported that Verizon might get an exclusive on the BlackBerry Mercury at launch, although the smartphone will also be sold unlocked so users on all major carriers can use the handset, a similar setup Google has with Verizon for its Pixel and Pixel XL. The tweet also reveals the smartphone will launch on Feb. 25, two days ahead of MWC 2017.
Are you looking forward to the BlackBerry Mercury and plan on making it your next smartphone? Please let us and our readers know in the comments below.
