BlackBerry Android Key2 LE Specs, Release Date, Price and Spec

BlackBerry has another handset on the list for 2018 devices. The  Key2 LE was announced at IFA 2018 in Berlin as a lower cost version of the Key2 , which offers a more affordable QWERTY keyboard experience that the firm hopes will not only be attractive to businesses, but also tempt consumers back to the physical ‘board.

Design and Display

Outwardly, the BlackBerry Key2 LE looks pretty similar to the Key2. It has the same 4.5 inch display and a matte keyboard, but the keyboard is slightly smaller and the phone weighs less. The keyboard does not have a capacitives touch features you’ll find on the Key2, however, the new Speed Key is still present. It helps you swap between apps much faster using the keyboard shortcuts.

Looking from behind,  the Phone features a textured back which is slightly different compare to the Key2. The chassis is plastic instead of aluminum, but it does come in more colors: Slate, Atomic, and Champagne. Of the three, the Atomic (aka red) version is the only where the color extends into the frets between the keys on the keyboard. The slim design couple this with the more rounded edges makes the Key2 LE very comfortable to hold, and it feels more balanced in the hand.

On the base of the phone a USB-C port sits alongside a speaker and microphone, while three buttons adorn the right side of the Key2 LE. The central power/lock switch has a textured finished making it easy to find, and it sits below a volume rocker. Below the power key is BlackBerry’s convenience key which comes pre-programmed to launch Google Assistant, but you can remap it to launch any app of your choosing.

The BlackBerry Key2 LE boasts a 3.5mm headphone jack on its top edge, with a SIM tray on the left.

In the Display department, the Blackberry Key2 LE comes with the same 4.5 inch LCD screen as it is present on the Key2, coupled with a 1,620 x 1,080 resolution. This  full HD display device also comes with a 4:3 aspect ratio, thanks to the  physical keyboard which prevents a traditional size screen being placed on the handset

Camera

The Key2 LE comes with the same dual rear camera lens module feature which allows the BlackBerry KEY2 LE to create stylish portraits with bokeh, however, the megapixel counts are different . The primary lens comes iwith a 13-megapixels, while the secondary lens comes with a 5-megapixels camera. The camera is embedded with Google Lens which enables you to explore the world around you with image recognition features. The front  facing camera however, helps you take stunning selfies with Face Beauty Mode.  The camera comes sports an 8-megapixels coupled with LCD flash. There’s also a Wide Selfie Mode for more options when you’re snapping away.

Software and Hardware

This Competitive mid-range device experience minor hardware changes compare to its higher version. The Key2 LE comes with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 processor  chipset (which is also found in the HTC U12 Life), a dual core processor (Octa-core 4x 1.8 GHz Kryo 260 and 4x 1.6 GHz Kryo 260) coupled with Adreno 509 GPU for quality graphics.

Under the hood, the phone features Android 8.1 Oreo which allows users to enjoy a faster operating experience and millions of apps on Google Play. On top of all the great experiences that come with Android, BlackBerry adds incredible new features that make sharing ideas and connecting with people faster and easier.  The DTEK app on the phone will automatically monitor your OS and apps and let you know when your privacy could be at risk and how you can take action to improve it. With just a quick glimpse you can see the overall security rating for your device, excellent, fair or poor,  and what you can do to improve it. DTEK also tracks your applications and notifies when there is activities on the phone without your knowledge.

It comes with a 4GB RAM and a storage capacity of 32GB, however a 64GB option will also be available depending on the region, the phone also have a MicroSD slot for external storage which is expandable up to 256.

Battery

The battery on the Key2 LE is slightly smaller to the Key2, powered by a 3,000mAh compared to the 3,500mAh on the Key2. However, that should still be enough to get you though more than a full day though, and since the phone features Qualcomm QuickCharge 3.0 it allows for quick charging of the battery. The contextual battery experience also helps you learn your battery usage pattern and suggest the optional time to recharge.

Release Date and Price

The Blackberry Key2 is expected in market by September 2018 at affordable price.