CES 2017: TCL communications promises 'BlackBerry's Legacy' is in good hands

Photo by Android Authority

Las Vegas - TCL Communications who has bought up brands and IP from Palm, Alcatel and BlackBerry and says it is the fourth largest handset manufacturer in North America announced  it will reveal a new BlackBerry handset at Mobile World Congress as the future of BlackBerry Mobile (TCL made the DTEK50 and DTEK60, rebranded Alcatels and  BlackBerrys last two Android handsets and now owns the global rights to do whatever it pleases with BlackBerry mobile products).

The demo of the smartphone pictured above, which still has no name, was once referred to as Mercury.It is the first of many products expected this year for TCL.

"Offering carriers and retailers exceptional quality and value, backed by TCL’s world-class R&D and manufacturing capabilities, the TCL Communication portfolio will be anchored by the Alcatel and BlackBerry handset brands while continuing to evolve in 2017. This will include additional mobility offerings to be announced in the first half of the year that will allow the company to further address consumer demands. Among the first products in this portfolio is the latest BlackBerry smartphone, focused on three core features: security, productivity and reliability."

How these new devices will fare in the market is anyone's guess. They could be pushed towards businesses but would have to be priced affordably for volume sales. Also, is a QWERTY keyboard on a smartphone still a thing?