The new BlackBerry Mercury, that is already attracted the interest of carriers in Australia, is set to have similar features to the top end Google Pixel according to sources.
Tipped to be launched in Australia in the second quarter of 2017, the device is set to appeal to not only business executives looking to own a secure smartphone but consumers looking to protect personal information from snoopers, including the Police and Government authorities.
According to smartphone journalist Roland Quandt the upcoming BlackBerry Mercury smartphone will use Sony’s new IMX378 image sensor in the camera.
In Quandt’s tweet, he wrote: “Proof for my earlier tweets: BlackBerry ‘Mercury’ BBB100 with 12MP Sony IMX378 rear cam, Samsung S5K4H8/Omnivision OV8856 8MP front cam.”
He also added that the rear camera will have an f/2.0 aperture, while the front camera will have an f/2.2 aperture.
We got an exclusive first look at the new device at CES.
The IMX378 image sensor is the same one that featured in last year’s highly successful Google Pixel smartphone
Trusted Reviews said ‘That’s important because one of the most praised features of the Google Pixel was its camera’
They gave the Google Pixel a 4.5/5 score in our review, lauding its Android skin, good size, impressive performance and, of course, its camera. In their verdict, we wrote: “A stunning camera makes Google’s first proper smartphone a contender for best Android phone of 2016.”
BlackBerry is expected to unveil the Mercury at MWC 2017, Barcelona’s annual tech tradeshow, which is scheduled to take place at the end of February.
The Mercury is the last phone ever to be designed by BlackBerry in-house; after this point, TCL who also make the highly successful Alcatel range of smartphones, will take over the entire phone design and manufacturing process via a recent brand-licensing agreement.
