BlackBerry, the once-dominant smartphone manufacturer in Nigeria, has secured a partnership with OnwardMobility and FIH Mobile Limited to commence the production of a new 5G BlackBerry Android smartphone.
The new smartphone which is expected to be delivered in the first half of 2021 in the US and the UK markets, will feature the iconic physical keyboard.
BlackBerry last released a smartphone in 2018 – the BlackBery Key 2. The company had decided to stop making its own devices in 2016 and signed a production deal with Chinese electronics giant TCL. That relationship only lasted 2 years. In February 2020, TCL said it will not release any more BlackBerry-branded phones and has commenced plans to end its relationship with BlackBerry by 31 August 2020.
“Enterprise professionals are eager to secure 5G devices that enable productivity, without sacrificing the user experience,” Peter Franklin, CEO of OnwardMobility said in a statement. “BlackBerry smartphones are known for protecting communications, pricy, and data. This is an incredible opportunity for OnwardMobility to bring next-generation 5G devices to market with the backing of BlackBerry and FIH Mobile.”
There are little details about the specifications of the new smartphone BlackBerry except that it would come with a redesigned ‘clean-sheet keyboard.’
As part of the partnership, OnwardMobility will conduct product planning and market development for BlackBerry smartphones in North America, and FIH Mobile will design and manufacture the BlackBerry devices under strict guidelines to ensure component, device, and supply chain integrity.
