BlackBerry is back! New 5G phone with QWERTY keyboard arriving in 2021

A 5G BlackBerry with a QWERTY keyboard

BlackBerry has today announced a new licensing partnership with OnwardMobility and FIH Mobile Limited to develop and produce an entirely new smartphone under the BlackBerry name for release at some point in 2021. 

The device in question will focus heavily on the trust and security features that are still associated with the BlackBerry name today. That looks set to be combined with Android, like previous BlackBerry smartphones, and the iconic QWERTY keyboard.

And as is to be expected from any modern smartphone, 5G network connectivity will be offered as standard. There is information regarding the chipset just yet, but that presence of 5G likely means the device will focus on productivity too.

BlackBerry hasn’t confirmed the terms of the licensing agreement, but OnwardMobility mentions smartphones rather than smartphone, suggesting an entire lineup of devices may be planned. The latter could be dependent on the success of the first model, though.

Of course, neither OnwardMobility or FIH Mobile are likely expecting to shift millions of units. The BlackBerry brand has weakened significantly over the past decade, after all, and the presence of a QWERTY keyboard limits the product to a niche market.