BlackBerry sets own pace for 2019: Strikes Verizon deal, but no 5G phone coming

BlackBerry continues to seem to its roots to continue growing in 2019, however isn’t on the point of jump into one among the most important — and buzzword-filled — mobile trends of the instant. First, BlackBerry goes home this year, and no, we have a tendency to don’t mean to Canada. we have a tendency to mean it’ll be commerce its latest smartphone on the Verizon network within the U.S.. Anyone looking forward to a BlackBerry automaton phone with 5G capabilities can need to wait a minimum of a year before one arrives.Digital Trends Sat down with BlackBerry’s world top dog and Chief business Officer, Francois Mahieu, at CES 2019 to speak regarding the company’s forthcoming mobile plans.  TCL Communications — the corporate with the licence to provide devices beneath the BlackBerry name —  has absolutely embraced BlackBerry’s history, and also the new Verizon announcement faucets into that even any. Verizon was one among BlackBerry’s most trustworthy partners within the period of time, typically commerce exclusive devices created for the network.However, before you get too excited, Verizon’s solely dipping its toes into the new wave of BlackBerry devices for currently, instead of diving in absolutely. The BlackBerry Key2 autoimmune disease are sold  through Verizon’s Enterprise business unit, that is unquestionably wherever the phone belongs, however sadly it won’t be sharing area with alternative smartphones within Verizon’s retail stores. A disappointment, however still a major move for BlackBerry.

“For U.S.A. this is often an enormous milestone,” Mahieu told Digital Trends. “We are performing on this for a few time, Verizon is extremely sturdy within the business area, and our roots area unit in business, thus to own such huge|an enormous|a giant} player aboard may be a big issue for U.S.A..”The fresh invigorated BlackBerry can enter its third year of existence in 2019, having launched the KeyOne in 2017. Now, the hardware is on the market in fifty countries and on over one hundred ten carriers round the world. In the U.S. you'll purchase BlackBerry phones through AT&T and Sprint. Adding a 3rd is nice news, however what regarding the buyer side? Is obtaining a Verizon Enterprise deal a stepping stone to obtaining the Key2 or future BlackBerry phone in Verizon retail stores? Mahieu paused as he thought of his answer.

“Not within the terribly short term, it'll take a jiffy,” he said.

If you were terribly keen on deed a BlackBerry Key2 autoimmune disease through Verizon, the business aspect can facilitate everybody from sole traders up to large firms. however if you known as up as a non-public client, they’re unlikely to show you down. however it’s not designed to be marketed towards you and ME simply nonetheless.

He continued  to supply associate degree insight into why. He aforesaid that round the world, carriers area unit, “Testing the waters then progressing [with BlackBerry phones].” Verizon can decide for themselves if it's undefeated.”

He realized to however this has worked in Canada, wherever the devices area unit currently offered through major networks and price-sensitive Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs), once a lot of speculative launches earlier on.