Brand new BlackBerry with keyboard coming in 2017

PanARMENIAN.Net - In a CES news release, Chinese tech giant TCL's mobile branch, TCL Communications Technology (TCT) announced it's planning on reinvigorating the classic smartphone brand for 2017.

TCL obtained a global smartphone software and brand licensing agreement in December, so this move shouldn't come as a complete shock. The company was also behind the poorly-received BlackBerry Android offerings from last year, which were the last handsets thought to be produced with the branding, Mashable reports.

According to the statement, the newest BlackBerry device (which appears to be named the "Mercury"), will be focused on three core features: security, productivity and reliability. And like its ancestors, it has an actual, honest-to-goodness physical QWERTY keyboard!

The Android handset will be previewed at CES, where its system security will be on full display. Advance materials claim the new BlackBerry will "offer the most complete end-to-end smartphone security available on Android."

"We look forward to unveiling details around this distinctly different and impressively designed BlackBerry smartphone around the Mobile World Congress timeframe next month," said President and GM of TCL Communication (TCT) North America Steve Cistulli in the statement.