The CEO of the handset maker unveiled an odd looking device that will be the next smartphone…phablet…
Following a far better earnings announcement than anticipated, the Canadian smartphone maker is continuing its surprising technology news headlines with the unveiling of its BlackBerry Passport.
This can either be considered to be a massive smartphone or a tiny phablet – though it is officially a phone.
John Chen, the CEO of the company, used the earnings report and annual meeting to confirm that the rumored “Windermere” square shaped smartphone is a reality and it will be officially called the BlackBerry Passport. Chen took the opportunity to show off the company’s newest mobile device, which is expected to launch in London at a September event.
The shape of the BlackBerry Passport has drawn considerable criticism, but the news didn’t end there.
For example, the CEO also showed the media the BlackBerry Classic QWERTY, which is a smartphone that will also be making its way onto the store shelves before the end of the year. No specific release date was given, but it is clearly a direct response to the requests (pleading) of customers who have longed for the return of the highly popular physical keyboard on their devices. Those keyboards were removed last year with the introduction of the fully touch screen versions of the handsets, which were not well received.
While there was a certain amount of information released about the odd new Passport smartphone, the Canadian handset manufacturer did not provide any additional details about what prices should be expected.
The BlackBerry Passport will have a 4.5 inch display. It will have a 1440 x 1440 pixel resolution, with a 453 ppi pixel density. It has been rumored that it will have 3 GB of RAM, a 3450 mAh battery, and a 13 megapixel rear camera, but none of those details have been officially confirmed. Primarily, it was the screen information that was released by the company, particularly because it is that shape that has allowed the mobile device to stand out so dramatically from its competitors and everything that has been released before it.
