Even without BlackBerry's official confirmation, rumors continue to spread regarding the KEYone smartphone follow-up. Early reports claimed that the new premium handset under the newly-revived BlackBerry label will be known as Krypton. However, the latest details now say that the upcoming smartphone will be known as BlackBerry Motion, highlighting an impressive water-resistant feature and a virtual keyboard.
The rumor mill now has the BlackBerry Krypton or Motion getting an IP67 water resistance rating, which make it more reliable to use in wet conditions or even underwater compared to other smartphones today. TCL is expected to be BlackBerry's partner in manufacturing the KEYone successor, the same with the previous handsets that have been released since the BlackBerry brand made a comeback.
The BlackBerry KEYone was well-received upon its launch that is why the expectations are high for the upcoming Krypton or Motion. Perhaps, the most surprising twist in the new Motion handset is the absence of BlackBerry signature physical keyboard. Instead, Motion will sport an all-screen display from one edge to another, going with the recent trend in Android devices, according to Engadget. Details about the new name for BlackBerry Krypton and the handset having a virtual keyboard came from the popular tech leaker, Evan Blass.
Other design and specs leak about the BlackBerry Motion reveal that the former Krypton device will be similar to KEYone. This is in spite of the latter having a physical keyboard instead of a virtual one. For one, Motion is expected to have a 5.5-inch Full HD LCD display with limited bezels. The handset will include a 4,000mAh battery, 4GB of RAM, and 32GB storage capacity. Reports suggest that the BlackBerry Motion will cost at least $450.
Like the KEYone, the BlackBerry Motion will boast a 12MP rear camera with f/2.0 aperture, while the front-facing or selfie camera has an 8MP sensor. The smartphone will run the Android Nougat 7.1 OS out of the box.
It is rumored that the BlackBerry Motion will be launched sometime this fall. Unfortunately, for those residing in the U.S., it does not seem likely that the smartphone will be available in the North American markets. For now, Motion could be distributed in selected locations such as United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, although it would be too early to conclude that the new BlackBerry model will not reach the U.S.
