Introduction
TCL is finally done with its first true BlackBerry handset and we have to say, it looks even better than when we first saw it. Now, that is a statement that needs some explanation, if we ever saw one.
You see, back at CES 2017, TCL showcased the BlackBerry Mercury - a device that was in the works as the first BB to come from the company as an official hardware manufacturer for the brand. As promised, it is now two months or so later, and the Mercury is finally here, only its DTEK70 and Mercury monikers have been replaced with KEYone.
The device marks a veritable milestone in the history on the legendary Canadian brand, as it charts out a clear return to core BlackBerry roots and market principles. This comes as a real breath of fresh air to all BB fans, after the somewhat disappointing DTEK50 and DTEK60 set a brief and rather bleak tone o f re-branding Alcatel units. The KEYone is a proper BlackBerry if we ever saw one, but this is not the first time we get to spend some time with the unit and reminisce about its meaning for the brand future. Back at CES 2017, we did get some hands-on time with the then Mercury and shared our enthusiastic first impressions.
However, now the smoke has cleared, and we can finally revisit the KEYone in all its BB glory, armed with an official specs sheet and all the other details that were omitted at the Las Vegas venue.
Key features
- 149 x 72.4 x 9.4mm, with an anodized aluminum frame and soft-touch fabric on the back
- 4.5-inch, 1620x1080 pixel, IPS LCD touchscreen display; 434 ppi; Gorilla Glass 4 protection
- Capacitive touch 4-row BlackBerry QWERTY keyboard; Fingerprint reader in the space button and 52 key shortcut support
- Stereo speakers; 3.5mm audio jack
- Qualcomm MSM8953 Snapdragon 625 (Octa-core 2.0 GHz Cortex-A53); Adreno 506; 3GB RAM
- 32GB on-board storage; microSD card slot
- 12 MP, f/2.0, 1.55 um, phase detection autofocus, dual-LED (dual tone) flash; 4K@30fps video recording
- 8MP, 1.125 um, 84 degree wide selfie camera
- Android 7.1.1 Nougat with DTEK and BlackBerry software suite
- 3,505 mAh battery; Quick Charge 3.0
- Cat. 9 LTE support; Dual-band 802.11 a/g/b/n/ac; Bluetooth 4.2; GPS; NFC; FM Radio; USB Type-C with OTG
Sadly, certain rumors of a powerful Snapdragon 821 heart didnt become a reality. But even armed with its power-efficient, 14nm Snapdragon 625, the BlackBerry KEYone still has a lot to impress with and stands out in a sea of bland Android offers.
BlackBerry KEYone in official photos
It could be the traditional keyboard and touchscreen setup or longstanding emphasis on security and business pedigree, but we are simply sure that the KEYone will manage to charm quite a few people. Still, a price tag of EUR 599 is a bit hard to swallow, and the KEYone better find a few good ways to impress for that kind of cash.
Hardware tour
Circling back to our earlier hands-on experience, we already praised to KEYone for its classic BlackBerry look. Also, quite a distinct one nowadays. While we do realize, it is an acquired taste, and a 4.5-inch display might be unacceptable to many, among other things, the final version we are experiencing today is just as well-built and "retro meets modern" kind of cool as ever.
This time around, we do have the exact dimensions - 149 x 72.4 x 9.4mm. The KEYone is bulky by every possible standard. Still, it feels very nice in hand and comes with a 3,505 mAh battery, to make up for at least some of the extra girth. Again, this is far from an achievement in todays mobile market, but it is still, technically, the largest pack ever fitted inside a BlackBerry. Plus, the Snapdragon 625 chipset, with its efficient 14nm development process is already proven to go easy on the juice. The KEYone should enjoy excellent battery life and Quick Charge 3.0 support, via its Type-C port, promises a zero to 50% charge in around 36 minutes. There is also a special Boost charging featu re that limits background activity for a few minutes once the device is plugged in. The idea is to get as much juice in, within the first few minutes, in case you need to run off after that.
Thick profile
Going back to design, the KEYone employs an anodized aluminum frame for extra toughness, with a unique design. It extends from the back and sides onto the top bezel on the front. Instead of trying to hide the 8MP selfie camera or the front-mounted sensors, they are prominently put on display. This makes a lot more sense than trying to conceal the openings, in our opinion, since the keyboard is already there and you might as well embrace the busy front aesthetic.
The display, underneath that, is a 4.5-inch panel with a 3:2 aspect ration and 1620 x 1080 resolution. This adds up to a pixel density of 434ppi and makes it exceptionally sharp. It comes with a nice and well-defined 2.5D curvature near the sides, for some extra visual style. The finish is Gorilla Glass 4, for added protection.
Underneath that, there is a trio of standard capacitive buttons. At first glance, this comes off as redundant, given the qwerty keyboard. However, we have to say, we do get their presence, since navigation is a bit tough on the physical keyboard and, while possible, would take a lot of getting used to. Still, TCL could have probably made the screen a bit taller and left a choice for on-screen controls.
Speaking of the keyboard, it is great and quite reminiscent of that on the BlackBerry Priv. BlackBerrys input in the hardware department shines through, and its not only skin-deep. Having proper tactile feedback is just a long-forgotten joy that no level of haptic feedback trickery can emulate.
QWERTY keyboard
Besides a throwback to classic BlackBerry design and functionality, the backlit, QWERTY keyboard is imbued with a few new and nifty tricks. Most notably, touch scrolling. Just like on the Priv, you can simply swipe across the keys vertically and horizontally, and the OS will respond in a surprisingly fluid manner, either scrolling or flipping pages. You can also use a swipe typing scheme. There is also a fingerprint reader conveniently embedded in the spacebar, which ties in nicely with BlackBerrys focus on security.
There is also extensive shortcut support. You can leverage it to set up to 52 customizable shortcuts. If you manage to memorize all of them, you can pretty much navigate all your apps and basic functions, without ever opening the app drawer. Impressive, indeed!
As already mentioned, the anodized aluminum frame, going all the way around the BlackBerry KEYone makes for a premium and sturdy feel. Having all those controls on the front should somewhat help redu ce clutter on the sides. There is only a power button on the left and the top houses a 3.5mm jack. On the right, however, there is a SIM and microSD card tray, as well as the volume rockers and a dedicated camera shutter key. Pretty busy!
Slick bezels
On the bottom, you get the USB Type-C port, as well as a pair or speakers. A nice little addition to a phone never intended for multimedia use. As per the specs sheet, there are also two microphones, hidden away on the frames. The second is there for active noise cancellation.
Stylish soft-touch back
Moving to the back of the KEYone, you get a quite stylish soft-touch material, tucked underneath the aluminum frame around the edges. It comes off as a cross between suede and matte plastic, leaning more towards the latter. In any case, the benefits to grip become instantly apparent.
Just like on the front, the main camera is prominently featured, even encircled in its silver ring. It is a 12MP shooter, with large 1.55 um pixels, a f/2.0 lens, PDAF, and a dual-tone LED flash. It is powered by the Sony IMX378 sensor and supports 4K video recording at 30 fps. Frankly, if it manages to keep up with its Priv sibling, it will be more than impressive, since the latter blew us away with it 4K capabilities.
Camera
While on topic, it is also worth mentioning that the 8MP selfie camera, comes with pretty large 1,125 um pixels as well as an 84-degree wide field of view. Sadly, we couldnt get sample shots from the KEYone at the event, so you will just have to wait until we get our hands on it for a full review for our two cents on camera performance.
Android Nougat with some BlackBerry security on top
Running benchmarks on a unit at MWC is sadly kind of frowned upon. We have managed it on rare occasions in the past, but sadly, that wasnt the case with the KEYone. We will, however, mention that our first impression of the device, performance-wise, was very positive.
Just like the Priv, the KEYone appears to run an almost stock version of Android, at least visually, that is. In this case, it was a cutting-edge 7.1.1 Nougat ROM. Even on the mid-range Snapdragon 625, it seemed to breeze through most every productivity task we managed to throw at it. Mind you, we saw similar behavior from devices like the Samsung Galaxy C7 and the Motorola Moto Z Play. The octa-core chipset is not only efficient but has already proven it is more than enough, even for some power-user level tasks. Plus, 3GB of RAM are plenty to keep up with multitasking as well.
KEYone
Speaking of power users and advanced tasks, the KEYone is built for them and is intended to cater to business users straight out of the box. As you are probably aware, BlackBerry has always thrived in the business realm as a provider of secure, complete and integrated company communication and infrastructure solutions. This is now the main focus of the Canadian companys business, and in term, the biggest part BlackBerry played in the creation of the KEYone, was providing it with its signature suite of secure business software.
Although, there were certain hints of the KEYone even before the TCL acquisition, hinting at some BlackBerry hardware involvement as well, in this particular proj ect. Chances are the Canadian giant will continue to focus on the software side of future project, leaving design and manufacturer to its Chinese partners.
This is likely for the better since BlackBerrys software offerings and services continue to be a staple in the corporate world. All this makes the KEYone a properly secured and business communication-ready unit.
For one, there is the patented DTEK security platform, integrated into the custom Android OS. It monitors and protects the OS and you applications at all times. It can give you prompt alerts when a given app tries to access your sensitive data, camera, microphone or other hardware. Everything is crammed into a single interface, which gives you a security rating, access to scans and actions to fix any potential problems.
KEYone
Beyond the security platform, BlackBerry has also pre-loaded its productivity suite. Apps from the standard Google pack, like Drive, Photos and Chrome are still leveraged for some tasks, and the KEYone also gets the standard AOSP security patches. However, there is also the BlackBerry Hub, which aggregates all you email and social communications in a single location and keeps them safe.
You get to enjoy other BB exclusive apps as well, like Contacts, Notes, Tasks and Device search - all well integrated and secure.
Conclusion
Lets face it, with a €599 price tag, its hard to simply recommend the BlackBerry KEYone. It is and probably will remain the most pricey Snapdragon 625 device out there. However, whether you are on board and intend to simply buy it on principle, hope to eventually lan d one from your company, or dont plan on going anywhere near it whatsoever, that doesnt take away from its significance one bit.
The BlackBerry KEYone is a milestone device, a long overdue sign that the once great BlackBerry mobile brand wont slip into obscurity, but will stand its ground and keep at its clear market niche and corporate pedigree instead.
If you need or want a blackberry in 2017, the KEYone, while not the complete hardware package, definitely wont disappoint. And all things considered, we can now remain hopeful that it wont be the last of its kind.
! ( hope useful)
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