[conite]

Yeah, apart from some American and South Korean cities. there will be no good 5G coverage next year.

Yes, but a phone you purchase in 2020 will likely be used in 2022 and beyond.

[Vistaus]

Yes, but a phone you purchase in 2020 will likely be used in 2022 and beyond.

I know that, but at least here in Western Europe, there will still be limited 5G coverage in 2022 and 2023. So they might as well wait till the KEY4 to give us 5G support.

[conite]

I'm about to buy a Key2 or Key 2LE, both of which have a processor that is 2+ years old,

The 636 and 660 SoCs did not find themselves in production devices until late 2017 and early 2018. The KEY² was release in May of 2018.

[Vistaus]

The 636 and 660 SoCs did not find themselves in production devices until late 2017 and early 2018. The KEY² was release in May of 2018.

In today's world, everything that's over a month old is considered outdated ;-)

[Matty]

BlackBerry hits pause on annual phone upgrade trend
https://www.cnet.com/news/blackberry...upgrade-trend/

I don't mind. I purchased my Priv about 18 months after it was released and still using it today as my daily main device and still works wonderfully.

I'm sure the KEYtwo will easily last 2 years for those who bought one. It might be a little tricky for KEYᵒⁿᵉ owners since it will be the end of 3 years but could always get a KEYtwo LE in the meantime.

It is hard when you only have limited smartphones to choose from (in the Blackberry pool)

[Matty]

I know that, but at least here in Western Europe, there will still be limited 5G coverage in 2022 and 2023. So they might as well wait till the KEY4 to give us 5G support.

Meanwhile in Africa, we are still in the process of moving over to digital TV and cutting off the old Analog signals lol.

Maybe by 2090 we will have 5G speeds lol.

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

Meanwhile in Africa, we are still in the process of moving over to digital TV and cutting off the old Analog signals lol.

Maybe by 2090 we will have 5G speeds lol.

In some markets... I'm not sure 5G will even be feasible. It's not a long range communications technology, which is why there is so much fuss about these Mini Cell Sites having to be installed everywhere. I expect that even here in the US, it's going to be mostly a metropolitan technology, with rural users being left out of the game (for a while). Currently (2016 anyway) there was just over 300K cell sites in the US, to cover the same areas... may take millions of these small cell sites. In rural areas the cost for these probable won't be justifiable (as there probable isn't backbone fiber there to begin with), without some sort of government incentives.

[Chuck Finley69]

Imo, BlackBerry fans are generally more pragmatic.

Is pragmatic a synonym for cheap?

[conite]

Is pragmatic a synonym for cheap?

Perhaps less distracted by squirrels and jiggling keyrings.

[Vistaus]

In some markets... I'm not sure 5G will even be feasible. It's not a long range communications technology, which is why there is so much fuss about these Mini Cell Sites having to be installed everywhere. I expect that even here in the US, it's going to be mostly a metropolitan technology, with rural users being left out of the game (for a while). Currently (2016 anyway) there was just over 300K cell sites in the US, to cover the same areas... may take millions of these small cell sites. In rural areas the cost for these probable won't be justifiable (as there probable isn't backbone fiber there to begin with), without some sort of government incentives.

In fact, Fibre isn't even feasible in lots of rural or even metropolitan areas in smaller countries (like mine) without some sort of government incentives. 5G and Fibre are nothing more than a very costly hype at this point.

[Mercuryuser]

This is fantastic news.

Getting rid of my key1 was now definitely a good decision. I also managed to avoid the dreaded screen pop.

Buying key2 at launch has positioned me perfectly for key3

[tnewton3]

I'm perfectly okay with the new red KEY² being announced. I'm running an LE and will look to upgrade to a discounted KEY² or the red KEY² if either is confirmed to have full functionality on Verizon.

[Gajja]

I know that, but at least here in Western Europe, there will still be limited 5G coverage in 2022 and 2023. So they might as well wait till the KEY4 to give us 5G support.

How true. In Great Britain the 3G arrived in London before much of the same nation even had 1G rolled out.

[k-millo]

what about Android 9? no anouncment?

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

I'm perfectly okay with the new red KEY² being announced. I'm running an LE and will look to upgrade to a discounted KEY² or the red KEY² if either is confirmed to have full functionality on Verizon.

While I do think Verizon will add more device to their BYOD program... At this point I wouldn't keep holding out hope for the KEY2. It would make more sense to add "new" devices as they hit the market.

After two months... not even sure Verizon Enterprise is selling the KEY2 LE yet.

[tnewton3]

While I do think Verizon will add more device to their BYOD program... At this point I wouldn't keep holding out hope for the KEY2. It would make more sense to add "new" devices as they hit the market.

After two months... not even sure Verizon Enterprise is selling the KEY2 LE yet.

There are many people on these forums that have reported the KEY² is fully functional on Verizon. By fully functional I mean sending and receiving texts/MMS and the ability to make phone calls.

Not looking to get the device through Verizon just possibly upgrade my LE. No need to buy carrier devices with the LE and KEY² being so readily available.

[Tim-ANC]

6 months is about right for me. Dare I hope K3 is a slider?

[rocker_man1]

While understandable, I'm disappointed, to say the least. As the owner of an aging KEYone I was banking on the Key3's release. Can't bring myself to spring for the Key2 thanks to its camera downgrade.

I can hold out to the end of 2019... but midway through 2020? That's a hard sell. Who knows. Maybe it'll be fine.

The KEY2 has a far superior camera in every single way. My KEYone could not come close to as nice a photo.

[pkcable]

I kinda like the red one they just put out!

[Vistaus]

6 months is about right for me. Dare I hope K3 is a slider?

If it was a slider, wouldn't it make more sense to call it the Priv 2?

[vara4111]

The KEY2 has a far superior camera in every single way. My KEYone could not come close to as nice a photo.

Really? I was pretty disappointed by the sample pics I'd seen, esp with low light performance.

Looking at the specs:

KEYone sensor:
12MP sensor with 1.55 micron pixels
2.0 aperture

Key2 camera:
12MP sensor with 1.28 micron pixels
1.8 aperture


While the Key2 has a "faster" aperture, my impression was that for cell phones the pixel size is more important.

But if you guys change my mind I'll make the switch!

[conite]

Really? I was pretty disappointed by the sample pics I'd seen, esp with low light performance.

Looking at the specs:

KEYone sensor:
12MP sensor with 1.55 micron pixels
2.0 aperture

Key2 camera:
12MP sensor with 1.28 micron pixels
1.8 aperture


While the Key2 has a "faster" aperture, my impression was that for cell phones the pixel size is more important.

But if you guys change my mind I'll make the switch!

Low-light performance is debatable, but give me the KEY² camera anyday. Optical zoom and bokeh. Great pictures in decent light.

The S5K2L9 sensor is 12MP, f/1.8, 1/2.60", 1.4um
The S5K3M3 sensor is 12MP, f/2.6, 1/3.42", 1.0um

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

If it was a slider, wouldn't it make more sense to call it the Priv 2?

Agree...

And there have a big open spot right now.... I think we can forget about PRIV2, Motion2, Passport2 or PlayBook2 at this point. If those were in the works, now would have been the time to release them.

KEY3 in the same basic format, late this year or yearly next year makes the most sense for BBMo.

[Chuck Finley69]

Whenever a Key3 finally happens, it will be the first time I can think of a BB with a third iteration. That alone would prove success of it's own accomplishment...

[the_boon]

If it was a slider, wouldn't it make more sense to call it the Priv 2?

Come on man... ANYTHING but Priv 2!

They should call it the "Motion 2" since, well, there are moving parts

Or maybe "Reveal" because you can reveal the keyboard