The BlackBerry Key2 has traveled to India about a month after making its international debut. The smartphone is targeting physical keyboard lovers out there who still prefer the brand’s business-like look.
They’ll have to pay Rs 42990 for the Key2. It’s a bit much for a phone which runs on a Snapdragon 660 processor, especially since there are other options like the OnePlus 6 out there which feature a Snapdragon 845 SoC starting at a price tag of Rs 34999. But then again, most of those rivals don’t have a physical keyboard, the primary attraction of a BlackBerry handset.
BlackBerry Key2 Keyboard Upgrades
The Key2’s keyboard comes with a couple of improvements over its predecessor. Its height has gotten raised by 20% and enhanced with a matte finish. A new fret design ensures better key spacing, while the spacebar-cum-fingerprint scanner has been improved as well.
There’s also a Speed Key and convenience key to quickly launch shortcuts. BlackBerry has retained its predecessor’s flick typing and trackpad skills too, so users can flick predictive text to their screen and use the keyboard as a large trackpad to scroll through pages.
Also Read: BlackBerry’s suing Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram
Another big highlight of the Key2 is its dual cameras, a first for a BlackBerry device. The main 12MP sensor has an aperture of f/1.8 and a 79.3-degree field of view and the secondary 12MP sensor has an aperture of f/2.6 and a 50-degree field of view. There’s also Dual PDAF, Dual Tone LED Flash, and better image stabilization.
Specifications of the BlackBerry Key2:
– Display: 4.5-inch 3:2, 1620 x 1080 pixels
– OS: Android 8.1 Oreo
– CPU: octa-core Snapdragon 660
– Battery: 3500mAh
– Camera: 12MP + 12MP rear, 8MP front
– Storage: 64GB, expandable up to 256GB
– RAM: 6GB
– Size: 151.4 x 71.8 x 8.5mm
– Weight: 168g
– Connectivity: 4G, dual-SIM, USB Type-C, Wi-Fiac, Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, GPS, GLONASS, USB OTG
BlackBerry licensee Optiemus Infracom will sell the Key2 in India starting from July 31 via Amazon India. Launch offers include a Reliance Jio cashback deal worth Rs 4450 and an ICICI cashback scheme.