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Results: Are physical keyboards a thing of the past?

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By Preslav Kateliev

Updated: Jan 05, 2017, 9:25 AM

Results: Are physical keyboards a thing of the past?

So, the new BlackBerry-branded smartphone, with a name that's yet to be announced, has officially been added to TCL's product portfolio. It's a midranger with Android 7 Nougat on board, a full bouquet of BlackBerry software features, and last — but not least — a hardware keyboard!

Physical keyboards have been pretty much gone from mainstream smartphones for years now, yet BlackBerry (now TCL, producing BlackBerry-branded handsets) insists on making models with the feature, and even to develop the keyboards further. Sure, it adds that one signature "thing" that is very BlackBerry. But we wondered — what to the users (and potential customers) out there think about physical keyboards nowadays?

So, we asked you. Here's how the poll went:

Physical keyboard on a smartphone, yay or nay?

Yeah, i love the tactile feel under my fingertips!

41.02%

I guess I could use one, if it packs extra useful features (like a trackpad feature)

24.11%

Nope. Virtual keyboards is where it's at for smartphones!

34.87%

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Preslav, a member of the PhoneArena team since 2014, is a mobile technology enthusiast with a penchant for integrating tech into his hobbies and work. Whether it's writing articles on an iPad Pro, recording band rehearsals with multiple phones, or exploring the potential of mobile gaming through services like GeForce Now and Steam Link, Preslav's approach is hands-on and innovative. His balanced perspective allows him to appreciate both Android and iOS ecosystems, focusing on performance, camera quality, and user experience over brand loyalty.

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