BlackBerry Key2 LE
TCL Kills Off BlackBerry Lineup
TCL Communication and BlackBerry Limited have announced an end to their partnership to produce BlackBerry phones. TCL made several BlackBerry phones in recent years, which ran Android with additional software from BlackBerry Limited. TCL will not introduce any additional BlackBerry phones, and will stop selling existing models at the end of August 2020. It will provide service and support for those phones until the end of August 2022. TCL made four BlackBerry models: The KEYone, KEY2, and KEY2 LE had physical QWERTY keyboards, while the Motion was a touchscreen-only device.
BlackBerry Key2 LE Coming to Verizon
Verizon business customers will soon have access to the newest BlackBerry, the Key2 LE. TCL Communication, which makes BlackBerry phones, announced today that the phone will launch in the "coming weeks" via business channels. The variant for Verizon will have dual-SIM support, 4 GB of RAM, and 64 GB of internal storage. The Key2 LE has a physical QWERTY keyboard, HD screen, Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 processor, fingerprint reader, USB-C connector, fast charging, 3.5mm audio jack, and dual rear cameras.
Best of IFA 2018
IFA is Europe's big consumer tech show. Every year we head over to Berlin to check out everything in person, and honor the standouts with our Best of IFA award. This year, five products really caught our eye.
Hands On with the BlackBerry KEY2 LE
TCL has a new BlackBerry on deck for keyboard lovers. The KEY2 LE is a stripped-down version of the KEY2. It carries over the same basic form factor, but changes up the materials and colors to give it some flair for mass market adopters. Here are Phone Scoop's first impressions of the latest 'berry from TCL.
BlackBerry KEY2 LE Sheds Metal Frame, Adds a Splash of Color
TCL today announced the BlackBerry KEY2 LE, a mass-market smartphone with a keyboard. The phone is a scaled back variant of the KEY2 with a new exterior. Gone is the rigid metal build and in its place is a polycarbonate frame with a soft-touch material on the rear surface. The KEY2 LE comes in three color combos: slate, champagne, and atomic red. The latter two have contrasting shades to give them more personality. The LE is less buttoned-down than the standard KEY2. The screen is the same size and resolution (4.5 inches, full HD) as the original. One area where TCL moved to cut costs was the keyboard. The keys are the same shape as those on the pricier KEY2, but the keyboard loses capacitive touch support. The phone is powered by a Qualcomm 636 processor with 4 GB of RAM and 32 or 64 GB of storage. A dual-camera system graces the rear of the phone and a selfie camera is on front. The main shooter is a 13-megapixel job at f/2.2 and the secondary sensor is a 5-megapixel job at f/2.4. Other hardware features include 3.5mm headphone jack, USB-C, and the dedicated speed key on the keyboard. The phone has a 3,000mAh battery with Quick Charge 3.0. Of note, TCL says the KEY2 LE will be compatible with more networks. It will be able to operate on Verizon's network as an LTE-only phone. It is also compatible with AT&T and T-Mobile. TCL has lined up a wide number of retail and carrier distribution points for the phone, which goes on sale for $399 / 32 GB and $449 / 64 GB at the end of September.
