BlackBerry KEY2

[Aneres11]

For the 2 people (myself included) , who will be interested in this phone... lol.

The BlackBerry KEYtwo (code name Athena) is almost ready to be unveiled by the sounds of things!

It looks as though it it building on what made the KEYone a great phone without changing the formula too much.

Seems like my biggest complaint from the KEYone is still present. Navigation buttons are not on screen. This is wasted space that could be utilised by the screen but hey ho.

Appears that there is a dual camera set up now which is good.

No idea on release dates or anything like that, but apparently it has passed through Bluetooth and Wi-Fi testing or whatever it is these phones go through!

Hopefully soon!

 

[Aneres11]

It's happening.

CANNOT WAIT.

 

[Tsepz]

Looking forward to this, not to buy but to see how much further BlackBerry will push this.

I hope at some point they will build a larger screened and higher specced device like this. E.g. a KEYX with 6GB RAM, the SoC and best cameras they can get with a 5.5inch display.

 

[Aneres11]

Looking forward to this, not to buy but to see how much further BlackBerry will push this.

I hope at some point they will build a larger screened and higher specced device like this. E.g. a KEYX with 6GB RAM, the SoC and best cameras they can get with a 5.5inch display.

That would be the ideal!

 

[Tsepz]

That would be the ideal!

We'll have to be patient I guess, I'd definitely buy it.

I think they are a still testing the waters here.

Looking forward to your views on this one when it arrives.

 

[Aneres11]

I will one hundred percent be buying it I imagine!
Praying for an OLED screen but really not holding my breath!

 

[DeepIn2U]

For the 2 people (myself included) , who will be interested in this phone... lol.

The BlackBerry KEYtwo (code name Athena) is almost ready to be unveiled by the sounds of things!

It looks as though it it building on what made the KEYone a great phone without changing the formula too much.

Seems like my biggest complaint from the KEYone is still present. Navigation buttons are not on screen. This is wasted space that could be utilised by the screen but hey ho.

Appears that there is a dual camera set up now which is good.

No idea on release dates or anything like that, but apparently it has passed through Bluetooth and Wi-Fi testing or whatever it is these phones go through!

Hopefully soon!

The KeyOne was a nice phone ... didn't own one ... only tempted by the all-in-black model which should've been done first.

Looking forward to this, not to buy but to see how much further BlackBerry will push this.

I hope at some point they will build a larger screened and higher specced device like this. E.g. a KEYX with 6GB RAM, the SoC and best cameras they can get with a 5.5inch display.

Honestly, I was burned by the Passport ... IMHO a solid device when it debuted and yet the Special Edition screwed so many over with less than a year support and NO promise of Android when the original leaked with Android being run on it. At that point with the debut of the Priv I knew BlackBerry was cashing out of the hardware business giving it's long faithful Canadian foundation of users the finger ... the middle one.

Since then, it seems HMD is doing great with former brands like Nokia and BlackBerry, almost better than the original brands themselves ... in case of Nokia almost, BlackBerry MUCH better.

I'll watch to see what BlackBerry ahem HMD can do with the brand and this model. The last BlackBerry hardware engineers that worked on the Passport where incredible innovators ... bringing physical keyboards to touch. Blackberry could've challenged Logitech for wired and wireless (encrypted data sending for enterprise markets) using the basis of the Passports' keyboard for laptops and desktop computers making a few cool million on the side.

 

[Aneres11]

It isn't HMD who deal with BlackBerry is it? I thought it was TCL?

Regardless they're doing the right thing by building on the original KEYone and making a successor that continues on the same path. Updating the specs and camera as well as building on the hardware is all most KEYone owners / users would want so sign me up.

I'm excited for it.

 

[Lobwedgephil]

I had a couple of Key Ones. Besides the screen lifting issues, really liked it. But it slowed down quickly, Wish they would use better specs.

 

[Aneres11]

Apparently, the KEYtwo will look like this...

A slimmer B.B. Passport then!

 

[co.ag.2005]

Apparently, the KEYtwo will look like this...

A slimmer B.B. Passport then!

a few more shots via Evan Blass
https://www.androidpolice.com/2018/...-press-images-leak-ahead-june-7-announcement/

 

[Aneres11]

My only worry is the likely rubbish camera.
The KEYone didn't have a bad camera, but with the enhancements in camera tech over the last year since the KEYone (Googles post processing, Huawei's third lens etc), it makes me worry about committing to this as my full time device when I am so reliant on a good camera these days.

I'd like to think that it would be decent enough seeing as even low - mid range devices with dual setups are performing really well these days.

Time will tell I guess.

 

[Tsepz]

Apparently, the KEYtwo will look like this...

View attachment 764412

A slimmer B.B. Passport then!

I legit saw someone at my work offices using a Passport this morning, he was part of the crew doing renovations on our floor, the phone looked brand new.

I hope this KEY² is IP67 at least.

 

[Aneres11]

I legit saw someone at my work offices using a Passport this morning, he was part of the crew doing renovations on our floor, the phone looked brand new.

I hope this KEY² is IP67 at least.

It’s rare to see them!

I very much doubt the water resistance due to the keys, but they may have managed it.

 

[Tsepz]

It's here

 

[Aneres11]

Hmm.

My 2 complaints from the original KEYone (capacitive buttons and lower res screen) are both still there.
And they were pretty big complaints as I honestly felt like if they ever made a successor, these would be the things that they addressed. Sadly not.

I like the look of the silver one, but I really don't know if I will pull the trigger this time.

Never thought I'd say that about a BB either as I'm such a fan normally.

 

[Tsepz]

Hmm.

My 2 complaints from the original KEYone (capacitive buttons and lower res screen) are both still there.
And they were pretty big complaints as I honestly felt like if they ever made a successor, these would be the things that they addressed. Sadly not.

I like the look of the silver one, but I really don't know if I will pull the trigger this time.

Never thought I'd say that about a BB either as I'm such a fan normally.

Fully agreed.

They could have at the very least removed those Capacitive Keys and made the display slightly larger or with less bezel.

A shame that they are basically using the exact SE Display panel from the Key¹.

This seems to be more of a updated Key¹ than a whole new device, they were very conservative.

Glad they put 6GB though.

 

[Aneres11]

Fully agreed.

They could have at the very least removed those Capacitive Keys and made the display slightly larger or with less bezel.

A shame that they are basically using the exact SE Display panel from the Key¹.

This seems to be more of a updated Key¹ than a whole new device, they were very conservative.

Glad they put 6GB though.

Yeah. I think the fact they've increased the price but haven't actually changed anything other than adding 6GB and a dual camera is a bit of a kick in the teeth. Even if they had kept the capacitive buttons but improved the screen, or removed the buttons by making them on screen but keeping that resolution, I'd have been happy.

But nope. Neither. Annoying too as that silver one looks mighty good.

 

[Lloydbm41]

$649 for this mid-spec'd phone!?! When will these people learn, that if you want to sell this device in any significant number, you need to match the price of other mid-spec'd phones. $300-$350 is about all this phone is worth.

"the BlackBerry Key2 features a 4.5 ich 1620×1080 pixel resolution LCDdisplay with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 processor, 6GB RAM, up to 128GB of storage, and a 3,500mAh battery. It also happens to be the first BlackBerry-branded handset to feature a dual 12 megapixel rear camera system. There’s also an 8 megapixel camera up front. The device will ship with Android 8.1 out of the box."

http://www.ubergizmo.com/2018/06/blackberry-key2-officially-launched-price-confirmed/

 

[Aneres11]

So I will be preordering the silver one this week. Typical me haha.
I have decided to give it a go as it's a BB and I do love BB devices.

It took a while for the KEYone to drop in price, so I don't see the two getting reduced too quickly and by the time it does, we're likely going to be at the time of year when the new iPhone, Pixel 3's and Note 9 will be knocking round (plus whatever else comes out) so may as well pull the trigger now.

Looks like delivery is set for the 26th June so not too long to have to wait.

 

[Aneres11]

I pre-ordered a silver Key2 this morning.

The more I think about it, the more I want to pick one up.
Should be here next Wednesday as that's the official release date for UK and it just so happens to be my day off - which is nice.

I don't think there's much of an appetite for it this time around, whereas the KEYone seemingly had a fair few supporters and interest.
The price is a sticking point for the specs, especially when you look at the OP6.
I'm just hoping it performs well after using phones with the newest Snapdragon chip and finding all of them to run amazingly well.

Time will tell I guess. Roll on next Weds!

 

[Tsepz]

So I will be preordering the silver one this week. Typical me haha.
I have decided to give it a go as it's a BB and I do love BB devices.

It took a while for the KEYone to drop in price, so I don't see the two getting reduced too quickly and by the time it does, we're likely going to be at the time of year when the new iPhone, Pixel 3's and Note 9 will be knocking round (plus whatever else comes out) so may as well pull the trigger now.

Looks like delivery is set for the 26th June so not too long to have to wait.

Life's way too short to be worrying about price drops and all that crap just feed the urge if it's big enough!

Looking forward to your thoughts on it.

 

[Aneres11]

All of the unboxing videos are starting to pop up for the KEY2 now.
Must admit, it is making my hype build for the phone and now I'm really excited for it.
I can't wait to try out the keypad seeing as they've done away with the glossy keys and made it larger.

I'll still probably put the Pixel launcher on it haha even though I like BB's stock launcher, but I just love the Pixel one so much.

Roll on next week.

 

[Lobwedgephil]

Keyboard looks great, much improved. Hope the 6 gigs of ram make it more usable.

 

[geoff5093]

Apparently, the KEYtwo will look like this...

View attachment 764412

A slimmer B.B. Passport then!

Why capacitive keys, why... You already have a small screen, having fixed buttons just makes it that much smaller.