BlackBerry's partner TCL Communication will release the BlackBerry KEYone Android smartphone in the U.S. and Canada from May 31, the phone's maker said Thursday.
TCL Communications, the Chinese company that acquired rights to produce BlackBerry-brand handsets, originally had said the phone would go on sale in April.
Announced at MWC, the KEYone is built on the secure Android software platform (based on Android 7.1 Nougat) and features the hub, which collects messages from numerous apps, and a keyboard that can be used like the trackpad. The device has a 4.5-inch 1620x1080 Full HD display protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 4; a 3505 mAh battery which can receive a 50% charge in just 36 minutes;
a 12 megapixel rear camera using the over-sized Sony IMX378 sensor;
and a high-end design including an anodized aluminum frame and a soft touch textured back.
The KeyOne ($549 USD) will be available for pre-order in Canada starting May 18 through Bell, Bell MTS, Rogers, SaskTel and Telus Business. In the U.S., TCL will sell unlocked GSM and CDMA versions that can be used with U.S. carriers. It will be available from Sprint later in the year.