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! |
