New BlackBerry Phone Ditches Keyboards For Bigger Battery And Water Resistance

If smartphone consumers have made anything in their choices clear since the mid-2000s, it’s that keyboards are no longer a desired feature. It seems BlackBerry finally understands that cashing in on nostalgic devices is not a sustainable business model because it just unveiled a new smartphone. This time, it ditches the keyboards for a huge 4,000mAh battery and sweet water resistance.

After the KeyOne, BlackBerry is introducing the Motion, which sports some modestly impressive features. It has a 5.5-inch screen with a 1080p display, PC World reports, and a Snapdragon 625 processor. It also comes with a 4GB RAM and has a 12MP rear camera.

In terms of design, the Motion looks a bit like Sony’s smartphones, with its square body and sharp corners. Instead of a keyboard, the lower part of the phone has a home button that also functions as a fingerprint sensor with the company’s logo.

So far, the phone doesn’t really have anything about it that makes it stand out. However, it does come with IP67 water resistance, which is actually quite respectable. Its battery is also pretty big, which ensures extended use.

Of course, since BlackBerry is primarily a business device, it still sports a Convenience key on its side. Users can customize its profile and choose from a range of options, including Home, Office, car, and user. The Motion also offers Quick Charging with its USB-C port, Business Insider reports and will have an Android Nougat 7.1 by default.

For those who might still be steaming upon hearing that the new iPhones and Pixel phones don’t come with headphone jacks, BlackBerry has good news. The Motion comes with the standard jack for easy headphone connection.

The phone will first be released in the Middle East markets at $450. Compared to the $1,000 iPhone X, this kind of price is definitely notable.