Several weeks ago, TCL announced their plans to launch new BlackBerry phones at CES 2017. For those unfamiliar, TCL is the company that now has the license to manufacture BlackBerry handsets, especially given that BlackBerry has officially pulled out of the handset manufacturing business.
It was speculated that a BlackBerry phone with a physical keyboard would be launched, and sure enough TCL does not disappoint. In a tweet posted by TCL’s President of North America, Steve Cistulli, a short four second teaser video was uploaded in which a QWERTY BlackBerry handset can be seen, although the video only shows the keyboard portion of the phone.
imPRESSively designed. distinctly different. #BlackBerryMobile#CES2017 pic.twitter.com/MGvvGXOtvi
— Steve Cistulli (@SteveCistulli) January 3, 2017
Many are saying that this handset will be the DTEK70, which makes sense given the other DTEK phones that BlackBerry had previously launched. Interestingly enough, Cistulli’s tweet seems to emphasize the word “press” in “imPRESSively”, which we wonder might have something to do with the handset’s name or if he means “press”, as in to press on the keyboard.
In any case BlackBerry did promise that they would have at least one more QWERTY phone to launch, and this certainly looks like it, so stay tuned and check back with us later this week for more details. In the meantime if you have a couple of seconds to spare, check out the teaser above.
Filed in . Read more about BlackBerry, CES and CES 2017.