TCL will unveil new BlackBerry smartphones at CES 2017

BlackBerry is not making smartphones anymore, but that does not mean it has bowed out of smartphone market. Instead the former Canadian smartphone giant has tied up with TCL to sell BlackBerry branded Android smartphone.

Now TCL has announced that it will launch new BlackBerry branded devices at CES 2017, which will be held between January 5 and January 8, 2017 in Las Vegas. 

According to TCL it will "unveil an evolutionary first in the mobile industry, which will include the addition of the new BlackBerry brand of smartphones, complimenting the company's current portfolio". The company further said that "We’ll unveil more news at CES around our plans, showcasing the legacy of the BlackBerry smartphone brand, while also giving a glimpse into what new BlackBerry smartphones will offer as part of our bold new brand portfolio within TCT. These are just the building blocks of our new growth strategy, with additional announcements to come in 2017." 

TCL has already launched two BlackBerry branded smartphones, the mid-range DTEK 50 and the flagship DTEK 60, which are rebranded version of Alcatel Idol 4 and Idol 4s. Both were full touch screen smartphones.

However, there are no details regarding the new devices, but previously BlackBerry had confirmed that it is working on a smartphone which sports the company's iconic QWERTY keyboard, similar to BlackBerry Classic or BlackBerry Passport. Based on rumors and leaks so far, the smartphone code-named Mercury will reportedly feature 4.5-inch Full HD display with 3:2 aspect ratio, Snapdragon 625 processor, 3GB RAM, 32GB inbuilt storage, 18MP rear camera, 8MP front camera, fingerprint scanner, 3400mAh battery and Android Nougat.