TCL Communication unveiled the new touchscreen BlackBerry Motion at Gitex in Dubai on Sunday, the second new device launched by the Chinese manufacturer since acquiring rights to the BlackBerry smartphone brand last year.
The new smartphone, will go on sale later this month in the UAE for Dh1,699, is the first dual-SIM BlackBerry device to go on sale in the Middle East, and the first BlackBerry with water and dust resistance.
The device has the largest ever battery included in a BlackBerry handset, promising more than 32 hours of mixed use, together with a new anti-scratch 5.5 inch Full HD display.
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The BlackBerry Motion will also go on sale later this month in Saudi Arabia for 1,699 riyal, and will be available in “select global markets” this quarter.
“While the initial launch of our newest BlackBerry smartphone will be limited, this is an exciting addition to our growing BlackBerry smartphone portfolio, setting a strong foundation for further portfolio and market growth in the years to come,” said Alain Lejeune, Global General Manager for BlackBerry Mobile.
TCL acquired global rights to the BlackBerry brand in December 2016, following an announcement by the Canadian smartphone pioneer last Septembert that it would exit the hardware business and focus instead on software services.
The Chinese manufacturer, which also produces smartphones under the TCL and Alcatel brands, unveiled the BlackBerry KeyOne, its first BlackBerry-branded handset, at this year’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona in February.