BlackBerry will unveil its first new devices since the BlackBerry Z30 at MWC 2014. The new devices will be the first to be a result of its new partnership with Foxconn (a subsidiary of Hon Hai Precision Industry Co.). Confirmation was made by none other than Hon Hai’s chairman, Terry Gou. “We are working with them to design a new device, and we will showcase multiple devices at the trade show in Barcelona in February,” he said at an event in Taiwan.
While Gou revealed little about what devices will be showcased, one of them will most likely be the device currently known as Jakarta. Aimed at emerging markets such as Indonesia, it will be an all-touch BlackBerry 10 device with 3G connectivity. With a launch set for March or April, an announcement at MWC 2014 is not unreasonable.
It’s not as clear whether the other devices Gou refers to are also BlackBerry ones or for other manufacturers. With plans to cover other emerging markets such as Mexico, it may well be that more than one variant of Jakarta will be unveiled. Another possibility could be a new QWERTY-keyboard device given the company’s recent renewed focus on the form factor that made it famous in the first place.
It remains to be seen if BlackBerry will unveil new higher-end devices. It is reportedly working on two, the Windermere and Ontario, but they may launch later in the year instead.
Sources : Focus Taiwan // N4BB