TCL will make and sell BlackBerry-branded smartphones from now on

BlackBerry back in September announced that it would stop manufacturing smartphones, instead rely on third-party manufacturers to make its phones. BlackBerry will provide its brand name and software for the same.

The Canadian company has already launched two Android phones called DTEK50 and DTEK60 in partnership with China's TCL. Now BlackBerry has officially announced that it has signed a deal with TCL to give it exclusive rights to make and sell BlackBerry-branded smartphone globally. TCL also makes Alcatel-branded mobile devices.

Under the deal, TCL will design, manufacture, sell and provide customer support for upcoming BlackBerry-branded phones, while BlackBerry on the other hand will be controlling the software and developing security solutions for these phones.

TCL will manufacture and sell BlackBerry smartphones in all regions except India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh and Indonesia, which are BlackBerry's largest smartphone markets. 

For Indonesia market, BlackBerry has signed a similar deal with BB Merah Putih in September to make and sell BlackBerry-branded phones in that country, with BlackBerry's Android software and applications. BlackBerry is also working on a deal with an Indian company to bring BlackBerry phones to the country, but not much is known about this. 

Via