14 DAY TRIAL // Following BlackBerry's announcement that TCL is the company that will continue to launch BlackBerry-branded smartphones for the years to come, a new teaser that confirms the upcoming unveil of new phones has just gone live.
TCL, the Chinese company that is now in charge of the design, manufacture and sale of BlackBerry smartphones, has just announced that it will be present at CES 2017 trade fair where it will reveal the first wave of BlackBerry-branded smartphones that will join its portfolio.
“We've reached a point in our industry when we must boldy go where no other handset manufacturer has gone before; evolving how we serve our customers and consumers. Business and market growth must go beyond just delivering value-focused handsets, and must now include a much more complete portfolio of devices and brands,” said Steve Cistulli, President and General Manager for TCL Communication (TCT), North America.
Cistulli teased the launch of a new QWERTY smartphone last week, but did not offer any additional details. He also pointed to a CES 2017 announcement for this particular handset that will bring back the traditional QWERTY keyboard.
Traditional and next-generation designs will be part of TCL's portfolio
However, today's announcement reveals one other interesting aspect of the upcoming QWERTY BlackBerry smartphone, and that's the fact that it will be “an evolutionary first in the mobile industry.”
Cistulli goes on to say that his company will unveil more about TCL's plans at CES 2017, which is set to kick off on January 5.
He also says that TCL will be showcasing the “legacy of the BlackBerry smartphone brand,” but the company will also provide fans a glimpse into what the next-generation BlackBerry phones will offer.
So, while we're certain to get the traditional QWERTY BlackBerry smartphone that's been confirmed by both John Chen (BlackBerry CEO) and Steve Cistulli, TCL will be treating BlackBerry fans to some new designs that will probably be unusual to them.