1. curves2000's Avatar
    So we are 2 weeks away from the launch of the Mercury and 15 months or so into BlackBerry 's Android adventure when they launched Priv.

    Is it safe to assume that Mercury was designed in house by BlackBerry employees and engineers at roughly the same time as Priv or is this a much latter design?

    I am just wondering how much of a lag in development may have occurred to see what potential lessons BlackBerry learned from its Priv experience. I never owned a Priv but both that device and the Mercury are unique devices where the DTEK series are petty much copy designs hardware wise from Aclatel.

    One of the benefits of the new relationship with TCL is the speed at which they can launch the new BlackBerry phones. Does anybody know if this particular device will be able to run on Freedom Mobiles new LTE network with the new bands??

    Thanks for all your help

    Posted via CB10
    02-11-17 03:56 AM
  2. Sairos's Avatar
    I'm sure It was designed later on, you don't design two phones at the same time if you're BlackBerry in their current status. I would say maybe 6 months. You usually start hearing rumors when a company starts working on a new device, so here is your "when". Back in the old days, they worked on several phones in the same time, the phones were quite similar but anyway they had the resources to do it.

    I'm also sure they learned quite a few things between the two devices. You didn't see ridiculous pricing after the Priv. They definitely learned how much they should charge for the phones xD. The mercury is quite different from the Priv. Its complicated to design a slider and fit such a keyboard. It was a job well done though. Engineering-wise this phone is fantastic. If you don't know it, you would never guess it has a keyboard. They nailed the design.
    02-11-17 05:04 AM
  3. Uzi's Avatar
    Long before remember Vienna!? It's start from there and evolving to mercury

    Posted via CB10
    02-11-17 05:55 AM
  4. consv93's Avatar
    First renders of the Mercury appeared here on CB in 2015.
    02-11-17 08:33 AM
  5. BB-JAM215's Avatar
    And by the time of MWC in March 2016 they displayed two non-functioning prototypes.
    02-11-17 10:11 AM
  6. consv93's Avatar
    And by the time of MWC in March 2016 they displayed two non-functioning prototypes.
    I think you're misremembering. That was the Priv prototype.
    Justin Couto and BB-JAM215 like this.
    02-11-17 10:47 AM
  7. BB-JAM215's Avatar
    I think you're misremembering. That was the Priv prototype.
    Yes, you are right. It starts to blur after a while.
    02-11-17 11:26 AM
  8. The Commander's Avatar
    And by the time of MWC in March 2016 they displayed two non-functioning prototypes.
    2015 u mean.
    02-11-17 11:57 AM
  9. BB-JAM215's Avatar
    2015 u mean.
    Yes, and as noted by consv93, that was the PRIV.
    02-11-17 03:11 PM
  10. whatsever's Avatar
    I read somewhere that BlackBerry has different device on paper. BlackBerry was building 2 prototypes that also leaked as rendering. These device are the priv and the Mercury. It seems they liked the slide better to devolp and to build. These guys don't think about marketing but just in building great stuff.

    Still hope we get a Passport BlackDroid.




    Posted via CB10
    02-12-17 02:58 AM
  11. danp2000's Avatar
    Still hope we get a Passport BlackDroid.
    Won't happen because Google rules don't allow Android to have a 1x1 aspect ratio screen.
    Nathan Conley likes this.
    02-12-17 09:26 AM
  12. chrysaurora's Avatar
    Is there going to be a successor to PRIV? I currently own PRIV and love this form factor.
    02-12-17 10:52 AM
  13. Bla1ze's Avatar
    So we are 2 weeks away from the launch of the Mercury and 15 months or so into BlackBerry 's Android adventure when they launched Priv.

    Is it safe to assume that Mercury was designed in house by BlackBerry employees and engineers at roughly the same time as Priv or is this a much latter design?

    I am just wondering how much of a lag in development may have occurred to see what potential lessons BlackBerry learned from its Priv experience. I never owned a Priv but both that device and the Mercury are unique devices where the DTEK series are petty much copy designs hardware wise from Aclatel.

    One of the benefits of the new relationship with TCL is the speed at which they can launch the new BlackBerry phones. Does anybody know if this particular device will be able to run on Freedom Mobiles new LTE network with the new bands??

    Thanks for all your help

    Posted via CB10
    I can tell you the exact timeframe. Right after Priv was 'deemed' final.

    http://crackberry.com/blackberry-vienna

    So when did BlackBerry starting designing Mercury??-blackberry-vienna-android.jpg
    02-12-17 04:07 PM
  14. curves2000's Avatar
    I can tell you the exact timeframe. Right after Priv was 'deemed' final.

    http://crackberry.com/blackberry-vienna

    Click image for larger version. 

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    Thanks for this. Looking back I can now remember seeing this on CB and you can see how the strategy is coming together.

    Bla1ze: On the Mercury, is the keyboard as shiny as the pictures and videos suggest? It has a very un BlackBerry LOOK to it and I can't understand why.

    Posted via CB10
    02-12-17 05:34 PM
  15. Bla1ze's Avatar
    Bla1ze: On the Mercury, is the keyboard as shiny as the pictures and videos suggest? It has a very un BlackBerry LOOK to it and I can't understand why.
    You shouldn't really base anything on the photos and videos that are out there currently. Those devices have been passed around many greasy blogger hands and renders never show off the true nature of things, not to mention there's no telling how old those devices are/were, in some cases, you can see the keyboards were wore down from use/abuse. Wait for some final production devices/unboxing videos before you judge anything. Know more soon.
    JeromeM likes this.
    02-12-17 05:44 PM
  16. kitmo's Avatar
    Gee maybe the feeling that I have that Blackberry Mobile has something up its sleeve with the Mercury is that is will be available in day glo orange? I would buy one. I get tired of trying to find my DTEK 50 in my purse, in the house, etc. I wouldn't misplace an orange one lol.
    02-12-17 07:33 PM
  17. Drenegade's Avatar
    I think the first renders showed up right after the disaster of a Priv launch. The press was calling the Priv the last BlackBerry ever and I think even Chen made some stupid comments to that effect. So I suspect BlackBerry leaked the Vienna renders as damage control.

    Posted via CB10
    02-12-17 07:45 PM
  18. JAS0NB0URNE's Avatar
    Gee maybe the feeling that I have that Blackberry Mobile has something up its sleeve with the Mercury is that is will be available in day glo orange? I would buy one. I get tired of trying to find my DTEK 50 in my purse, in the house, etc. I wouldn't misplace an orange one lol.
    Is that really a feeling you have or just wishful thinking? Lol. Perhaps there will be orange skins or cases available...either on the ready or custom made.

    Posted with my  Classic
    kitmo likes this.
    02-12-17 08:34 PM
  19. slagman5's Avatar
    Gee maybe the feeling that I have that Blackberry Mobile has something up its sleeve with the Mercury is that is will be available in day glo orange? I would buy one. I get tired of trying to find my DTEK 50 in my purse, in the house, etc. I wouldn't misplace an orange one lol.
    Ukarbon will likely hook us up with skins for the Mercury. I mean make them to sell, not hook us up like give them to us for free, lol.

    Posted without the aid of AutoCorrect with my physical keyboard via CB10
    kitmo likes this.
    02-12-17 09:28 PM

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