BlackBerry (TCL)
Key2

The BlackBerry-branded Key2 smartphone, manufactured by TCL Communication, was unveiled at an event in New York. It was the successor to the KeyOne, which appeared in April 2017 as the first BlackBerry device with a physical keyboard produced under BlackBerry’s licensing agreements with other manufacturers. The BlackBerry Key2 bore a remarkable similarity to its predecessor. To the casual observer it looked almost identical, but TCL claimed it had listened closely to feedback from owners of the initial version and had made numerous updates to improve the device. The primary different was the keyboard, which had slightly bigger keys. The device’s overall size stayed the same thanks to a 25 percent smaller top bezel. The keyboard’s usability was improved with subtle improvements to the angled keys and a much softer keypad mechanism which was a big improvement on the previous model. TCL claimed the feel of the keyboard was inspired by the highly successful BlackBerry Bold 9900. Much fanfare was made about the addition of a new “speed key”, which TCL claimed was the first new key to be added to the BlackBerry keyboard for 10 years. It was designed to allow fast toggling between applications. This was of questionable benefit and more of a nice-to-have addition. In the marketing accompanying the launch of the Key2 the strapline “an icon reborn” was used and there were nostalgic overtures with the device being described as the “best mobile tool for helping customers save time” as well as the ability to stay connected “safely and securely”. BlackBerry had assets in this area with the hardened version of Android used on the Key2, secure elements built into the hardware and its DTEK security application. However, security was a big focus for competitors too. As a result BlackBerry’s historical competitive advantage had been diminished. However, there were some further nice security touches on the Key2, such as a secure locker, which could provide an additional security layer to applications requiring a fingerprint or secure unlock to access them. Furthermore, it was possible to take secure pictures by using the fingerprint sensor as the shutter button; pictures taken with this method were immediately stored in a secure area of the phone. There was also a secondary browser, FireFox Focus, which resided in a secure container and could be used for private browsing, with all browsing history removed from the device at the end of a session. Rather than selecting the most powerful Qualcomm processor available at the time, TCL opted for the Snapdragon 660. The chip was more than powerful enough for most tasks and the inclusion of 6GB of RAM aided the performance of the KeyOne. It also prolonged battery life and the company claimed users were able to get through a whole day without having to recharge. There was also a quick charge capability that provided 50 percent charge in 36 minutes. The Key2 was the first BlackBerry device to sport a dual-sensor rear camera. Two 12-megapixel elements and improvements to the camera software brought image capture up to par with more-recent smartphones. At £579 /$649 / €649) the Key2 commanded a hefty price tag, albeit lower than rival devices such as Apple’s iPhone X or Samsung’s Galaxy S9. The BlackBerry Key2 was primarily purchased by devoted BlackBerry users who were desperate to upgrade their ageing devices to a modern smartphone with the latest version of Android and all the apps that went with it, while benefitting from a BlackBerry physical keyboard. Despite the enthusiastic statements at its launch, the Key2 was a tough sell and only achieved modest sales.