More and more leaked images of an Android-based BlackBerry device are surfacing online. This time, an exclusive from industry observer Android Authority showcases the rumored smartphone, codenamed Venice, in all its glory – showing a sliding keyboard, chassis, and even a glimpse of its software.
Aside from the leaked images, the report also mentioned the rumored specs of the device, including its processor, which is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 chipset. In addition, the BlackBerry Venice is also rumored to feature 3 GB of RAM.
A focus of the leaked photos is the upcoming device's software interface. The images posted online indicate that the BlackBerry Venice is carrying at least an Android 5.0 interface. However, instead of the stock Lollipop build, BlackBerry seems to have developed its own take on the Android platform. It merges Lollipop with a custom user interface version, as can be seen in some of the keyboard shortcuts, application switcher, and widget menus on the images.
Integration of both software and hardware shortcuts on the Venice come as no surprise to BlackBerry fans, as the company is known to focus on productivity. Together with its signature physical keyboard — coming as a slider in the Venice — the shortcut options for the upcoming BlackBerry device seems to not only be composed of general menus and settings but also of app-specific shortcuts such as differentiated keys for BBM, texts, and emails, as well as addition of reminders, tasks, and calendar events.
Although not shown in the images, rumor has it that the Venice will come with a robust, enterprise-level security that will take care of user data and information. This is no surprise, as one of the strengths of every previous BlackBerry device is its stringent software security feature.
