After some leaks, BlackBerry today formally announced its latest smartphone, the KEY2. As the name suggests, the handset comes with a physical keyboard, and BlackBerry says that an icon is reborn in this new device.
The firm says that this is the most advanced BlackBerry ever, promising up to two days of battery life, 6GB RAM, and up to 128GB of on-board storage. It includes a Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 chipset, and Quick Charge 3.0 to charge the 3,500mAh battery.
This is also the first BlackBerry handset to include a dual camera. As you"d expect, this adds a Portrait Mode, but the company is also promising Optical Superzoom, which captures multiple frames, reducing noise on zoomed photos. Both sensors are 12 megapixels, and BlackBerry is promising faster autofocus and improved image stabilization as a result.
The physical keyboard has larger keys than on the KeyOne, and the height of the keys has been increased by 20%. The display above it comes in at 4.5 inches, at 1620x1080 resolution.
Ultimately, the package adds up to a classic design, increased security, a better camera, and what BlackBerry says is an all-around great phone. The BlackBerry KEY2 will start at $649, and you can register for pre-order updates here.