The once-iconic BlackBerry will make its comeback in the first half of 2021, with 5G features and a physical keyboard.
A new partnership aimed at reviving BlackBerry’s fortunes was announced yesterday between mobile phone manufacturer OnwardMobility, BlackBerry Limited (formerly known as Research In Motion) and FIH Mobile, a subsidiary of Foxconn Technology Group, to introduce a new 5G BlackBerry Android smartphone in the first half of 2021.
Under the terms of the agreement, BlackBerry Limited grants OnwardMobility the right to develop, engineer and bring to market a BlackBerry 5G mobile device. Working closely with BlackBerry and FIH Mobile, OnwardMobility has promised what it calls “world-class design and manufacturing” of the flagship phone.
“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 of BlackBerry.
“We are excited that customers will experience the enterprise and government-level security and mobile productivity the new BlackBerry 5G smartphone will offer.”
The new flagship range will initially launch in North America and Europe, before being made available globally, at a later stage.
BlackBerry’s previous manufacturer, TCL Communication, had announced in February that it would stop selling BlackBerry-branded mobile devices later this year.
“We do regret to share that as of 31 August 2020, TCL Communication will no longer be selling BlackBerry-branded mobile devices. TCL Communication has no further rights to design, manufacture or sell any new BlackBerry mobile devices,” said the smartphone maker at the time.
The once-prominent phone was one of the first smartphones introduced in the global phone market in 2002, by Research In Motion. During its glory days, the company controlled over 50% of the global smartphone market, with its flagship keyboard-wielding mobile devices. However, it has in recent years crumbled to having less than 1% market share.
BlackBerry, which was one of the most prominent smartphone vendors in the world, was once worth more than $70 billion, and at its peak in September 2013, there were 85 million BlackBerry subscribers worldwide, according to Wikipedia.
Following TCL Communication’s announcement, ICT industry insiders told ITWeb the BlackBerry phone was highly unlikely to rise from the ashes, and that a new partnership aimed at reviving its fortunes would be less likely to succeed.
“There may be manufacturers who feel they are able to take advantage of the business-focus of the BlackBerry brand to attempt again to revive its fortunes, but this would be less likely to succeed now than it was in the past,” commented Ryan Smit, MD of technology industry research and advisory firm BMIT, at the time.
Analysts believe its demise could be attributed to its failure to innovate, when BlackBerry Limited became complacent as the smartphone market evolved.
In addition, the launch of new mobile instant messaging apps such as WhatsApp, WeChat and Messenger, which are accessible to all smartphone handsets, meant a shift away from BlackBerry’s messenger app, resulting in the first phase of its slow death.
OnwardMobility says the new “feature-rich 5G-ready phone” will have high security features and Android office applications that enhance productivity.
“Employees are demanding better workplace technology experiences, and organisations are facing increasingly complex challenges in selecting, deploying, securing and managing devices to meet expectations and maximise employee productivity. Deploying highly secure products like the BlackBerry 5G devices in enterprises, government and regulated industries is mission-critical," according to OnwardMobility.
OnwardMobility says it will conduct product planning and market development for BlackBerry smartphones, and FIH Mobile will design and manufacture the BlackBerry devices under strict guidelines to ensure component, device and supply chain integrity.
“As an exclusive supplier to OnwardMobility, we’re committed to delivering new BlackBerry 5G devices to market, utilising our deep expertise in design, manufacturing, component supply and logistics management,” says Dr Wen-Yi Kuo, executive director at FIH Mobile.
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