BlackBerry KeyOne (BlackBerry Mercury) MWC 2017 event liveblog

by Victor Hristov / Feb 25, 2017, 11:30 AM

BlackBerry KeyOne (BlackBerry Mercury) MWC 2017 event liveblog

They used to call it the CrackBerry for how addictive it was and its users were amongst the most loyal crowd of them all, but with the advent of iPhones and Android phones, BlackBerry fans no longer proudly showed up with their full QWERTY phones around. Come out of your hiding places and unite here, as we tune in live from Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2017 in beautiful Barcelona to cover the second coming of BlackBerry, the BlackBerry KeyOne.

A new start with the BlackBerry KeyOne

While the company has changed - this phone is now manufactured by TCL, while the BlackBerry company only provides the licensing and has transferred its focus mostly on software endeavors - this is still a phone for the fans. The BlackBerry KeyOne (earlier referred to as BlackBerry Mercury) boasts a physical QWERTY keyboard with touch sensitive buttons that you can not only press, but also swipe to get a ton of shortcuts and get things done faster. Combine this with some special BlackBerry sauce and a pinch of extra security, and this new 'Berry might do enough to bring some people back to their beloved QWERTY phones. Or it may not. Whatever the outcome, join in with our liveblog to see the new BlackBerry KeyOne and learn all about it.

Live event tracker

12:47	And it's a wrap! Party time!
12:47
12:46
12:45	BlackBerry KEYone is a flagship phone, prices are: $550, €600
12:44	Available across the globe from April 2017
12:44	When and where can you purchase the new BlackBerry #KEYone
12:44	Back to our host Kevin
12:42	You can also pick higher security clearance
12:42	The DTEK app allows you to tweak your security preferences
12:41
12:41	"DTEK application gives control and visibility"
12:40	"Committed to bring monthly security updates."
12:40	"We are truly very confident in our security powers when it comes to Android," Alex Thurber
12:40	Alex Thurber BlackBerry Mobile senior VP is up on stage now to talk BlackBerry security #BlackBerry #KEYone #mwc17
12:39	"Best in class network coverage"
12:39
12:38	"Includes Quick Charge 3.0 ... up to 4x faster charging than a conventional charge."
12:38	The Snapdragon 625 is a power efficient chip, hugely important for great battery life
12:37
12:37	Pete Lancia VP of Qualcomm is up on stage now to speak about the processor on the #BlackBerry #KEYone
12:37
12:36	Kevin is back on stage
12:36	BlackBerry hub is on-board: email, facebook, linkedin, texts, etc
12:35	It puts the phone in battery saving mode while charging
12:35	"Boost" is a new quick charging feature
12:35	3,505 mAh is the biggest battery on a BlackBerry
12:35	The #KEYone actually has more screen space when typing than a bigger phone
12:34	W key could be for weather
12:34
12:33	You can assign the B key to access the browser, it's a huge time saver. U for Uber, F for Facebook
12:32	52 shortcuts right here
12:32	Gesture touch allows the keyboard to act as a trackpad
12:31	Precision crafted aluminum frame protects against everyday bumps
12:31	"Distinctly different. Distinctly BlackBerry," the marketing slogans continue
12:30	"Impact-resistant, soft-touch back"
12:30	"All day battery life"
12:30	"Android Nougat, unparalleled security"
12:29	The official name is BlackBerry KEYone, not Mercury, by the way
12:29	Logan Bell, senior product manager of BlackBerry Mobile is now on stage to explain all about the #KEYone
12:28	And it's official. The new BlackBerry phone!
12:27	This new device that's coming up is about encompassing the BlackBerry heritage
12:26	Who's BlackBerry for? Those who value security and privacy, but also want to stand out
12:25	"We are humbled to play such an important role in the future of BlackBerry," Zibell says
12:25	The news is that TCL Communications will now design, sell and manufacture BlackBerry phones and Zibell is explaining all of that
12:24	And now TCL Communications CEO Nicolas Zibell comes up on stage
12:24	"Tonight we make this launch official."
12:23	Guess who opens the show... Yes, it's CrackBerry Kevin!
12:23	"Never Settling. Zero Excuses." hmm... where have we heard that?
12:22	Let's kick things off with a promo video
12:21	And we're on!

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10 Comments

1. Doakie

Posts: 2478; Member since: May 06, 2009

Mercury was a better name.

posted on Feb 25, 2017, 11:50 AM 0

2. Doakie

Reminds me of the Palm Eos which then became the Palm Pixi... Stupid name's.

posted on Feb 25, 2017, 11:50 AM 1

3. Victor.H

Posts: 1098; Member since: May 27, 2011

I am with you on that. Mercury was catchy!

posted on Feb 25, 2017, 11:52 AM 2

4. liberalsnowflake

Posts: 273; Member since: Feb 24, 2017

Another android device yawn

posted on Feb 25, 2017, 12:09 PM 0

5. meanestgenius

Posts: 22504; Member since: May 28, 2014

I prefer the name "Mercury" myself, but I'll still be getting one.

posted on Feb 25, 2017, 12:12 PM 1

6. Lenny86

Posts: 301; Member since: Sep 20, 2012

Hoooops,that price went wrong sooo bad.Expected around £350 max.

posted on Feb 25, 2017, 12:50 PM 0

7. JcHnd

Posts: 285; Member since: Apr 30, 2012

DOA... Too expensive for what it is and then it will depreciate so hard... bye BlackBerry

posted on Feb 25, 2017, 12:55 PM 1

8. meanestgenius

I don't agree with the pricing, either. TCL priced it just a tad too high, as BLACKBERRY has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with the pricing of BlackBerry branded smartphones, anymore. I understand why they priced it that much (marketed as a flagship + physical keyboard brings the price of components up), and if they can get flagship performance out of it ( user experience, camera, etc) then the price may be able to be justified.

posted on Feb 25, 2017, 12:58 PM 1

9. chadcy

Posts: 29; Member since: Nov 19, 2012

549? C'mon man. Trying to give the Merc a chance. If it was 399 or below, this would of flew off the shelves. Might have to look at the s8 or an old dtek60..