• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
TechBlackBerry

Meet BlackBerry’s top-secret Android device

By
Jason Cipriani
Jason Cipriani
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Jason Cipriani
Jason Cipriani
Down Arrow Button Icon
September 18, 2015, 4:25 PM ET
BlackBerry's Android-powered device.
BlackBerry's Android-powered device.Image courtesy Baka Mobile

On Friday, Bell Mobility dealer Baka Mobile published a video reportedly showing BlackBerry’s (BBRY) rumored Android phone.

The device will be BlackBerry’s first smartphone powered by an operating system other than its own proprietary software.

Previous rumors and leaks painted a semi-clear picture of what consumers could expect from the device. The new video, however, lays out exactly what we should expect if and/or when BlackBerry ever releases the device. As expected, the company’s popular slide-out keyboard, which is touch-enabled, is present. By adding touch capabilities to the keyboard, users can swipe a finger over keys to scroll through emails, or navigate between screens. The same technology can be currently found in the BlackBerry Passport.

The device also appears to be running Android 5.0 Lollipop, albeit with a few BlackBerry customizations.

Google Now, Android’s personal assistant software, is present and accessible from the device’s home button with a touch gesture. More interesting, however, is the fact that BlackBerry Hub and universal search can also be accessed with the same gesture. The addition of these two features shows BlackBerry isn’t content with providing the same experience most Android devices currently do. Instead, the company will introduce added features and functionality to improve the Android experience.

BlackBerry Hub offers a central location for viewing every message and notification on the device. Instead of reviewing messages from apps individually, users can now see them all in one place, at one time. For example, text messages and Slack messages would appear in one list, so individuals wouldn’t have to wrestle with navigating both features at the same time. Meanwhile, universal search will help users find email attachments, miscellaneous documents, and conversations stored on the device.

Additional features shown in the video include a microSD card slot for expandable storage, a dedicated camera button, and a microUSB port for charging the device. If you watch closely you’ll even see the icon for T-Mobile’s My Account app on the phone, leading some to infer that the wireless company will carry the device.

If this video proves true, BlackBerry users will presumably still enjoy the same level of security the tech company has long prided itself on, while also taking advantage of the larger app ecosystem Android provides.

BlackBerry CEO John Chen previously said during a CNBC interview he would only release a device that runs Android if the company could figure out how to keep it secure. With the device now looking more real than ever, it’s only a matter of time before we find out if he remained true to his convictions.

The switch to an Android-powered device with heavy BlackBerry customization may prove to be a smart decision, or it could be one last desperate attempt at salvaging the firms handset business. Either way, it’s worth a shot.

Sign up for Data Sheet, Fortune’s daily newsletter about the business of technology.

For more about BlackBerry, check out the following Fortune video:

About the Author
By Jason Cipriani
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

InvestingStock
There have been head fakes before, but this time may be different as the latest stock rotation out of AI is just getting started, analysts say
By Jason MaDecember 13, 2025
2 hours ago
Politicsdavid sacks
Can there be competency without conflict in Washington?
By Alyson ShontellDecember 13, 2025
3 hours ago
InnovationRobots
Even in Silicon Valley, skepticism looms over robots, while ‘China has certainly a lot more momentum on humanoids’
By Matt O'Brien and The Associated PressDecember 13, 2025
5 hours ago
Sarandos
Arts & EntertainmentM&A
It’s a sequel, it’s a remake, it’s a reboot: Lawyers grow wistful for old corporate rumbles as Paramount, Netflix fight for Warner
By Nick LichtenbergDecember 13, 2025
9 hours ago
Oracle chairman of the board and chief technology officer Larry Ellison delivers a keynote address during the 2019 Oracle OpenWorld on September 16, 2019 in San Francisco, California.
AIOracle
Oracle’s collapsing stock shows the AI boom is running into two hard limits: physics and debt markets
By Eva RoytburgDecember 13, 2025
10 hours ago
robots
InnovationRobots
‘The question is really just how long it will take’: Over 2,000 gather at Humanoids Summit to meet the robots who may take their jobs someday
By Matt O'Brien and The Associated PressDecember 12, 2025
23 hours ago

Most Popular

placeholder alt text
Economy
Tariffs are taxes and they were used to finance the federal government until the 1913 income tax. A top economist breaks it down
By Kent JonesDecember 12, 2025
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Success
Apple cofounder Ronald Wayne sold his 10% stake for $800 in 1976—today it’d be worth up to $400 billion
By Preston ForeDecember 12, 2025
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Success
40% of Stanford undergrads receive disability accommodations—but it’s become a college-wide phenomenon as Gen Z try to succeed in the current climate
By Preston ForeDecember 12, 2025
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Economy
The Fed just ‘Trump-proofed’ itself with a unanimous move to preempt a potential leadership shake-up
By Jason MaDecember 12, 2025
22 hours ago
placeholder alt text
Economy
For the first time since Trump’s tariff rollout, import tax revenue has fallen, threatening his lofty plans to slash the $38 trillion national debt
By Sasha RogelbergDecember 12, 2025
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Success
Apple CEO Tim Cook out-earns the average American’s salary in just 7 hours—to put that into context, he could buy a new $439,000 home in just 2 days
By Emma BurleighDecember 12, 2025
1 day ago
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Success
  • Tech
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Environment
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Health
  • Retail
  • Lifestyle
  • Politics
  • Newsletters
  • Magazine
  • Features
  • Commentary
  • Mpw
  • CEO Initiative
  • Conferences
  • Personal Finance
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map

© 2025 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.