The devices will be launched over the next 12 months

Jul 1, 2016 13:58 GMT  ·  By

BlackBerry is expected to launch three new Android phones over the next 12 months. A new report shows that the devices' codenames will be Neon, Argon, and Mercury, with previous monikers Hamburg, Vienna, and Rome no longer applying.

BlackBerry is said to debut three new handsets running Android OS and a new report by VentureBeat shows that the smartphone manufacturer will be releasing one model per quarter.

BlackBerry's roadmap shows that Neon will be the first handset to hit the market and will fall into the low to mid-range section. It is said to have a 5.2-inch touchscreen display and 1080p resolution.

The specs of BlackBerry Neon recently leaked online, showing that the phone would come with 3GB of RAM and a Snapdragon 617 processor, together with 16GB of storage, a 2,610mAh battery, and QuickCharge 2.0. The smartphone should have an aluminum frame, a 13MP rear camera, and an 8MP unit on the front. The source also mentions that the phone could be brought to shelves in July or August.

BlackBerry Mercury will come with a physical QWERTY keyboard

BlackBerry Argon will be the second Android smartphone in the series, to be launched sometime in October. It will have a 5.5-inch QHD screen, Snapdragon 820 SoC, 4GB of RAM, and 32GB of internal memory.

The device should also sport a 3,000mAh battery with QuickCharge 3.0, a fingerprint reader, and USB Type-C. Moreover, the phone could boast a 21MP rear camera and an 8MP one on the front.

The last BlackBerry phone scheduled for this year is Mercury, which will be the only one to have a physical QWERTY keyboard. The handset could also come with a 4.5-inch full HD display and Snapdragon 625 inside, with 3GB of RAM and 32G of internal storage. It could also pack a 3,400mAh battery, providing a camera capacity of 18MP for the rear unit and 8MP for the front one.

This appears to be BlackBerry's attempt to make their Android-running smartphones attractive, and it will be interesting to see how the market reacts to these launches.

Leaked images of BlackBerry Neon and Mercury (2 Images)

Leaked image of BlackBerry Neon
Leaked image of BlackBerry Mercury
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