Blackberry to release "Venice" running Android?

hellfire

hellfire

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BlackBerry may be in the process of putting the finishing touches to a brand new device, the so-called BlackBerry "Venice", however, this is no ordinary BlackBerry handset. Unlike all previous BlackBery phones running the firm's own bespoke BlackBerry OS software, the Venice may be the first phone from the company running a third party platform - specifically, Google's prominent and well-supported Android software.

Anyone with more than a passing interest in mobile devices has probably, at some point, ruminated on the idea of a cross-over device; a handset built by one manufacturer in their typical style, but running software not at all associated with that firm. A Nokia Lumia running Android, a Samsung Galaxy running iOS, there are all kinds of wacky and possibly perverse combinations.

Here at KYM we've been fond of BlackBerry's recent hardware, and while the BlackBerry 10 software has improved massively, it still has a few quirks which make it difficult to commit to when compared to Android and iOS.

Now though, it seems as though one of these dream combos is actually occuring in order to rectify that particular problem; a BlackBerry handset with Android onboard.

We'd heard this idea a little while ago, it started off as a trickle of rumours but has gradually gained more and more traction. It really started to become a plausible idea when BlackBerry CEO John Chen started commenting on the rumours, saying the Canadian firm would consider an Android build if it could be made secure.

Now everybody’s favourite leaker, @evleaks, AKA Evan Blass has returned from retirement with an image of what is claimed to be a press shot of BlackBerry’s upcoming Android-powered Venice handset, which you can see below in all its glory.
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Interesting, if true. This could make me return to BB
 
Last nail in Blackberry's coffin? I don't see them competing with the likes of Samsung on handset only.
 
unskinnybob said:
Last nail in Blackberry's coffin? I don't see them competing with the likes of Samsung on handset only.
Click to expand...



The only reason Samsung is so popular is because of their distribution and marketing.



If the networks market this like how they previously did for BB it could do very well.
 
Are these two different handsets? Top photo doesn't seem to have the speaker grill at the bottom. It might be to late for BB, but I would love it if the the likes of BB and Nokia start producing quality devices running Android, just to shake up things for Sammy and co.
 
If they do run on Android, it'll be with a BlackBerry interface, with Hub etc. I suspect that it'll still be BB10 though, but perhaps running a full Android (with Play Services) subsystem.
 
[video=youtube;uJ6Yvp7-z3E]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJ6Yvp7-z3E[/video]

Looks really promising actually. Full on Android.
 
TBH I would go for something like this - physical QWERTY...

...but will wait for a couple of months to make sure this will not be a damp squib.
 
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