After announcing yesterday that it would be bringing BBM to both Windows Phone and Nokia X devices, BlackBerry today took to the MWC stage to share some big hardware news with the Barcelona crowd.
The first new device detailed by BlackBerry today is the Jakarta device that's targeted at emerging markets. Officially known as the "BlackBerry Z3," this Foxconn-made handset sports a 5-inch touchscreen, 3G connectivity and BlackBerry 10.2.1. BlackBerry expects the Z3 to launch in Indonesia this April at a price that's under $200.
On the other end of the hardware spectrum, BlackBery also officially introduced the QWERTY-clad BlackBerry Q20. If you thought that the Q10 was a throwback to the BlackBerrys of old, then you might have a hard time believing that the Q20 is even a new product.
The BlackBerry Q20 features a set of "Menu," "Back," "Send" and "End" buttons as well as a trackpad, just like all of BlackBerry's pre-BB10 handsets. Also included with the Q20 is a full hardware keyboard with the same frets and keys that the thumbs of BlackBerry fans know and love.
"With the BlackBerry Q20 smartphone, you’ll get the familiar hard buttons and trackpad that you want, along with the best email service, the best keyboard experience and the best battery life possible," said BlackBerry CEO John Chen.
In addition to all of those buttons, the BlackBerry Q20 sports a 3.5-inch touchscreen and a "large battery," all wrapped up in a body that BlackBerry describes as being made from "premium materials." The BlackBerry Q20 is slated to launch in the second half of 2014 for an undisclosed price.
The BlackBerry Q20 is an intriguing little device. With its trackpad and set of navigation buttons, it's clearly designed to either keep old-school BlackBerry fans with the platform or bring back any that may have left. Whether or not that'll work for the company remains to be seen, but if anything it'll be interesting to see how the BB10 experience is different when it's paired with a trackpad and set of navigation buttons.
What are your thoughts on the Z3 and Q20? Will either handset be able to draw in the consumers that they're targeting?
Via Inside BlackBerry (1), (2), CNET
