BlackBerry to launch full touchscreen, water proof smartphone in October: Report

China’s TCL, which manufactures phones for BlackBerry, is gearing up to unveil a new full touchscreen device in October.

China’s TCL, which manufactures phones for BlackBerry, is gearing up to unveil a new full touchscreen device in October. BlackBerry is pegging durability, longevity, and security as the key highlights in its latest device. A report in Engadget quoted TCL’s François Mahieu who told the site that upcoming BlackBerry-branded phone will be ultra-secure, IP67-rated for water and dust-proofing, and will offer 26 hours of battery life on moderate to heavy usage.

“Mahieu feels bold enough to claim that he expects a number of iPhone and Galaxy users to “make the switch” to BlackBerry come October,” read the report. In terms of pricing, BlackBerry’s new smartphone could cost less than most flagship devices in the market. The company hopes to sell millions of units of the full touchscreen phone.

Given BlackBerry’s previous device KeyOne was an Android-based smartphone, we expect the upcoming phone to run Android as well. Of course, details about the upcoming phone is not known at this point of time.

To recall, BlackBerry launched Android-based KeyOne with a keyboard in India. The phone costs Rs 39,990, and it competes against the likes of Apple iPhone and Samsung Galaxy S series.

Read: BlackBerry Priv #ExpressReview: A lot to love here, except the price

This time around, BlackBerry probably wants to play safe and unveil a full touchscreen phone – no frills attached. Considered one of the best smartphone company once,  BlackBerry lost its shares to Apple and Samsung.

“TCL is banking on certified water and dust-resistance as a draw, and it’s not clear how many people were waiting for that as a reason to make the switch,” the report added.