BlackBerry KEYone review: The return of the QWERTY keypad

The mention of BlackBerry brings back fond memories of a time when phones were simpler. Screens didn’t have keyboards back then, and our internet requirements revolved around getting BBM to work. The era of the Android and iOS smartphone came soon after, and BlackBerry was slowly relegated down the order, thanks to BlackBerry OS failing to keep up with the times.

The Canadian company tried all kinds of methods to bring itself back to relevance, but its once powerful position in the market had been long lost. When BlackBerry finally embraced Android with the Priv in November 2015 and the DTEK series the following year, it was perhaps a bit too late to save the brand. With the company’s products now made by Chinese electronics manufacturer TCL, BlackBerry is today very different from what it once was.

Launched in February this year at Mobile World Congress, the BlackBerry KEYone is the latest product from the brand. With the BlackBerry philosophy and styling firmly in place, the KEYone brings back the physical QWERTY keyboard and BlackBerry’s focus on security. We’ve reviewed the new Rs 39,990 BlackBerry KEYone, and here’s what we have to say.

BlackBerry KEYone Design

While the Priv, DTEK50 and DTEK60 definitely have …read more