BlackBerry Motion
TCL Promises Two New QWERTY BlackBerries as Motion Hits U.S. Stores Jan. 12
TCL Communication today said it plans to introduce two new BlackBerry-branded handsets this year, both of which will feature physical QWERTY keyboards. They will serve as successors to last year's KEYone handset. TCL didn't share any details about these new BlackBerry devices other than to say they'll arrive later in 2018. TCL today also said it plans to sell the BlackBerry Motion smartphone in the U.S. starting January 12. The device has been available overseas since late last year. The BlackBerry Motion will be sold unlocked for $450 from Amazon.com and Best Buy. It supports GSM networks, such as those operated by AT&T and T-Mobile. Later this quarter TCL plans to release a bronze edition KEYone smartphone. Other than the color, the KEYone Bronze Edition changes memory to 4 GB and storage to 64 GB, and adds support for a second SIM card. Exact pricing and availability was not disclosed. Last, BlackBerry and TCL are working to bring Android 8 Oreo to the KEYone and expect to do so in the months ahead.
BlackBerry Motion Eschews the Keyboard, Packs Huge Battery
TCL today announced the BlackBerry Motion, a follow-up to the KEYone that drops the keyboard in favor of a larger touch screen. The Motion boasts a 5.5-inch full HD screen that's covered in a nano-diamond coating to prevent scratches. TCL says the phone is the first BlackBerry to carry an IP67 rating for protection from dust and water. The Motion ships with the largest-ever battery for a BlackBerry. The power cell rates 4,000mAh and TCL says it is good for two full days of use. It supports Quick Charge 3.0 for rapid recharges when needed. Other notable hardware features include a programmable convenience key, fingerprint sensor, USB-C, and a standard headphone jack. Under the hood, the BlackBerry Motion is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor with 4 GB of RAM and 32 GB of storage, with support for microSD memory cards. The rear camera has a 12-megapixel sensor with an f/2.0 lens, flash, and phase-detection autofocus, while the front camera has an 8-megapixel sensor with an f/2.4 lens, flash, and wide-angle field of view. The Motion runs Android 7.1 Nougat with BlackBerry's hardened DTEK software, BlackBerry Hub, and other business-friendly apps on board. A new tool called Locker allows Motion owners to protect photos and other files in a locked folder that can only be opened with a password or fingerprint. The BlackBerry Motion is initially going to be sold in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates for about $460. TCL said the phone will eventually be sold in other regions, though it didn't specifically say if that includes the U.S.
