BlackBerry KeyOne original keyboard makes a comeback, plucking on the nostalgic chord; Available from May 31

The BlackBerry hardware keyboard is back, and this time it’s on the BlackBerry KeyOne, an Android-based smartphone. The smartphone will be launching in Canada and the US on May 31, the company revealed on Thursday.

BlackBerry handsets are now produced by Chinese company TCL Communications. The company had originally stated that it would be releasing the smartphone in April. The delay may frustrate and enrage potential buyers. Moreover, Samsung and LG have already unveiled their flagship phones, Galaxy S8 and G6, and are promoting them heavily. The only possible reason why fans won’t be enraged is because of BlackBerry elements from their glory days, and that include the keyboard. These are not present in modern day smartphones.

The hub is also present for collecting messages from various apps, and just like old times, the keyboard can also be used as a track-pad. This has been a signature feature of BlackBerry phones. Of course, the smartphone boasts new features too, such as, the ability to assign a shortcut to every key on the keyboard. Then there is a new security dashboard. For users in Canada, the BlackBerry KeyOne will be available for pre-order from May 18 via Telus Business, SaskTel, Rogers, Bell MTS and Bell.

The phone will also sell in the US with TCL gearing up to sell unlocked CDMA and GSM versions. These can be used with US carriers. Sprint will also sell it but later in the year, writes PC World. The KeyOne is BlackBerry’s is the company’s latest offering that will define the future of the brand in this intensely competitive and insane tech market. The smartphone will reportedly target the professional and the enthusiastic ones. Telecom partnerships will definitely enable the smartphone to gain more visibility among the masses.

However, the company should be aware of the fact that the general preferences of buyers have shifted towards bezel-less displays and large screens, such as in LG G6 and Samsung Galaxy S8. Hence, the KeyOne has gigantic mountains to climb. The device will be powered by the latest Android system, Nougat 7.1. It has a 4.5-inch FullHD IPS touchscreen, an octa-core Snapdragon 625 processor and 64-bit Adreno 605 GPU. The processor will be clocked at 2.0 GHz. There is a 3GB RAM and 32GB of internal storage, expandable up to 2TB via microSD card.

On the camera front, the BlackBerry KeyOne uses a 12MP Sony IMX378 rear camera and an 8MP selfie camera. The battery capacity is 3,505 mAh and supports Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0. The battery charges to 50 percent after half an hour of charge.