[The Big Picture]

There was a bit a of a debate here on the comment section of this article and I believe its an important one to identify:

Mercury gives us reasons to be hopeful about BlackBerry in 2017 | Android Central

Who designed the Mercury? TCL or BlackBerry?

Im pretty convinced that seeing from the things said by John Chen and other blackberry employees in the past such as this article:

BlackBerry Latest News, Rumors: CEO John Chen's Last "Keyboard Phone" Is Coming; BlackBerry Mercury To Follow Priv's Design? : Daddy : Parent Herald

That the Mercury is indeed designed totally by BlackBerry especially given that patented blackberry physical keyboard.

Why would anyone think otherwise?

[Livermore]

Not sure why there is so much speculation as to who designed the Mercury. Obviously it's TCL. How do I know? One major clue: no "BlackBerry" stamp on the front of the phone.

Although I do think BlackBerry designed the keyboard.

Posted via CB10

[SDTRMG]

Not sure why there is so much speculation as to who designed the Mercury. Obviously it's TCL. How do I know? One major clue: no "BlackBerry" stamp on the front of the phone.

Although I do think BlackBerry designed the keyboard.

Posted via CB10

Actually blackberry claims it's an in house design. Tcl just manufactured it.

[yessuz]

Not sure why there is so much speculation as to who designed the Mercury. Obviously it's TCL. How do I know? One major clue: no "BlackBerry" stamp on the front of the phone.

Although I do think BlackBerry designed the keyboard.

Posted via CB10

it is 100% BlackBerry in house design.

Porsche design phones do not have BlackBerry in front as well.
BlackBerry P’9983 – Porsche Design P’9983 - United Kingdom

[The Big Picture]

This article says not only designed but engineered by blackberry too.

BlackBerry Mercury WILL be the LAST proper BlackBerry phone | Tech | Life & Style | Daily Express

I guess TCL only manufactures it, ala iPhones and foxxcon.

If so this will be the final BlackBerry designed and engineered phone.

[Livermore]

Props to BlackBerry. Their hardware has been my favorite of all phone. True quality. And the Mercurius is the successor to the Passport SE & Classic combined aesthetically. The edges are very modern and mainstreamish yet look very clean.

If this is truly BlackBerry's last in house phone they should release the Mercurius with a BB10 option. Man...

Posted via CB10

[AirFranZ]

http://crackberry.com/blackberry-mer...-attention-ces

Posted via CB10

[jamesharmeling]

it is 100% BlackBerry in house design.

Porsche design phones do not have BlackBerry in front as well.
BlackBerry P’9983 – Porsche Design P’9983 - United Kingdom

On the bottom of the Porsche, it says BlackBerry.

[hadji]

Mercury is the last BB 100% designed in house by Blackberry, they confirmed yesterday on their blog :
Mercury, the Last Phone Designed by BlackBerry, Wins Raves at CES | Inside BlackBerry

[yessuz]

On the bottom of the Porsche, it says BlackBerry.

true.

still, mercury is 100% blackberry design.

maybe since it was alpha hardware, the RC will have it properly

[BB-JAM215]

Not sure why there is so much speculation as to who designed the Mercury. Obviously it's TCL. How do I know? One major clue: no "BlackBerry" stamp on the front of the phone. Although I do think BlackBerry designed the keyboard.

We`ve known the design of the Mercury was a BlackBerry in-house project since the first non functioning prototype was shown by BlackBerry in March 2016 at MWC.

When the first working prototype got to John Chen`s desk in September, BlackBerry had already decided to licence the manufacturing, distribution, and sales to a third party, which was confirmed to be TCL in December.

Even though the original design was BlackBerry`s, the phone is being manufactured, distributed and sold by TCL. BlackBerry`s software licencing agreement with TCL will no doubt include a BlackBerry Inside logo, but TCL is not going to put another company`s name on their phone.

[Niels B]

Also on twitter:

Mercury, the Last Smartphone Designed by BlackBerry, Wins Raves at #CES2017 h/t to our partner @TCL_USA… https://t.co/Bzr2WXuCBF

[itsyaboy]

Even though the original design was BlackBerry`s, the phone is being manufactured, distributed and sold by TCL. BlackBerry`s software licencing agreement with TCL will no doubt include a BlackBerry Inside logo, but TCL is not going to put another company`s name on their phone.

Obviously the new phones will have BlackBerry's name on it. What makes you think they won't?


Posted via CB10

[BB-JAM215]

Obviously the new phones will have BlackBerry's name on it. What makes you think they won't?

The new phones will be TCL phones. We don't know exactly how TCL plans to use the BlackBerry name or what the details of their software licensing agreement with BlackBerry are.

In early December, when Marty Beard said BlackBerry was no longer in the hardware business and he was discussing their pending software licensing agreement, he said "This is like Intel inside, BlackBerry inside".

So,it could be just be a logo saying "BlackBerry Inside",

[itsyaboy]

The new phones will be TCL phones. We don't know exactly how TCL plans to use the BlackBerry name or what the details of their software licensing agreement with BlackBerry are.

In early December, when Marty Beard said BlackBerry was no longer in the hardware business and he was discussing their pending software licensing agreement, he said "This is like Intel inside, BlackBerry inside".

So,it could be just be a logo saying "BlackBerry Inside",

Check out the most recent BlackBerry blog here: http://blogs.blackberry.com/2017/01/...ys-turnaround/

They state the following, which is pretty consistent with all of their earlier posts regarding TCL.

In addition, we’ve licensed our brand to third-party manufacturers such as TCL and BB Merah Putih to manufacture, distribute, market, and sell BlackBerry smartphones.

Or read about an interview with TCL's CEO here: http://www.techradar.com/news/blackb...tnokia-debacle

Also, weren't you one of those that claimed the Mercury was scrapped? Or am I confusing you with someone else?

Posted via CB10

[The Big Picture]

Mercury is the last BB 100% designed in house by Blackberry, they confirmed yesterday on their blog :
Mercury, the Last Phone Designed by BlackBerry, Wins Raves at CES | Inside BlackBerry

This is a definite confirmation. I just hope it doesn't come with Blackberry android problems which affected the priv.

My wife's dtek50 feels more responsive than the my priv let alone my dtek60

[mcne2001]

Props to BlackBerry. Their hardware has been my favorite of all phone. True quality. And the Mercurius is the successor to the Passport SE & Classic combined aesthetically. The edges are very modern and mainstreamish yet look very clean.

If this is truly BlackBerry's last in house phone they should release the Mercurius with a BB10 option. Man...

Posted via CB10

Word - BB10 option for us die hard fans....

Posted via CB10

[krazyatom]

Props to BlackBerry. Their hardware has been my favorite of all phone. True quality. And the Mercurius is the successor to the Passport SE & Classic combined aesthetically. The edges are very modern and mainstreamish yet look very clean.

If this is truly BlackBerry's last in house phone they should release the Mercurius with a BB10 option. Man...

Posted via CB10

Or let it dual boot with android and bb10 os!

Posted via CB10

[BB-JAM215]

Check out the most recent BlackBerry blog here: The Five Pillars of BlackBerry’s Turnaround | Inside BlackBerry

They state the following, which is pretty consistent with all of their earlier posts regarding TCL.

Or read about an interview with TCL's CEO here: BlackBerry partner says new tie-up won't be another Microsoft/Nokia debacle | TechRadar

While we would all like to think that TCL will make wonderful new keyboarded BlackBerry devices following the old BlackBerry tradition forever, it will be up to TCL to decide how they can best profit from BlackBerry's name and software.

We've all heard here how many believe that the BlackBerry brand has been tarnished and no longer has a lot of value. What BlackBerry has licensed to TCL is their software along with the BlackBerry name. How TCL decides to use that license to the benefit of their own business is entirely up to them.

[ray689]

Even though the original design was BlackBerry`s, the phone is being manufactured, distributed and sold by TCL. BlackBerry`s software licencing agreement with TCL will no doubt include a BlackBerry Inside logo, but TCL is not going to put another company`s name on their phone.

Then you should probably tell the TCL to stop talking about all their plans for future BlackBerry phones rather than BlackBerry powered phones.
Once again, a BlackBerry executive gives a conflicting statement and its taken the wrong way. Marty Beard talking about "Intel inside" was referring to what their part of BlackBerry devices will include (the software). Not that they adopted the Intel business model fully or you wouldn't see them continually saying "more BlackBerry devices are coming" . Intel doesn't call PCs "Intel devices" .

[itsyaboy]

While we would all like to think that TCL will make wonderful new keyboarded BlackBerry devices following the old BlackBerry tradition forever, it will be up to TCL to decide how they can best profit from BlackBerry's name and software.

We've all heard here how many believe that the BlackBerry brand has been tarnished and no longer has a lot of value. What BlackBerry has licensed to TCL is their software along with the BlackBerry name. How TCL decides to use that license to the benefit of their own business is entirely up to them.

Why do you talk about "we all believe" when I gave you quotes from both BlackBerry and TCL? Sure, we'll have to see what happens but they are both saying TCL will make BlackBerry devices. Why would I believe you instead? You said it correctly though, it is up to TCL what to do with it and TCL is saying BlackBerry phones. Doubts resolved as far as I am concerned.

Posted via CB10

[BB-JAM215]

Why do you talk about "we all believe" when I gave you quotes from both BlackBerry and TCL? Sure, we'll have to see what happens but they are both saying TCL will make BlackBerry devices. Why would I believe you instead? You said it correctly though, it is up to TCL what to do with it and TCL is saying BlackBerry phones. Doubts resolved as far as I am concerned.

How would a "BlackBerry" device made by TCL be different from a TCL device with BlackBerry software and a "BlackBerry Inside" logo on it?

[itsyaboy]

How would a "BlackBerry" device made by TCL be different from a TCL device with BlackBerry software and a "BlackBerry Inside" logo on it?

It wouldn't. But that's not the point, it is not about what we think makes a "real" BlackBerry. Let's quit it, we both obviously won't change our minds and if you keep ignoring official statements there isn't a proper discussion anyway. You can keep talking about your TCL with BlackBerry inside phone, while I will get the new BlackBerry after MWC 2017. Everybody happy!

Posted via CB10

[BB-JAM215]

It wouldn't. But that's not the point, it is not about what we think makes a "real" BlackBerry. Let's quit it, we both obviously won't change our minds and if you keep ignoring official statements there isn't a proper discussion anyway. You can keep talking about your TCL with BlackBerry inside phone, while I will get the new BlackBerry after MWC 2017. Everybody happy!

I'm also expecting to get the new phone and I don't really care what it's called or how it's branded, but it seems a lot of people do.

[zocster]

As long as it has the BlackBerry software running, it doesn't really matter who designed it.

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