BlackBerry fans have a reason to smile after the firm signed licensing deals that will give its devices comeback to the global market in the first half of 2021.

OnwardMobility has signed agreements with BlackBerry and FIH Mobile Limited, a subsidiary of Foxconn Technology Group, to deliver a new 5G BlackBerry Android smartphone with physical keyboard, in the first half of 2021 in North America and Europe.

“ We are excited that customers will experience the enterprise and government level security and mobile productivity the new BlackBerry 5G smartphone will offer,” said John Chen, Executive Chairman and CEO, BlackBerry.

OnwardMobility will develop, engineer, and bring to market a BlackBerry 5G mobile device with a physical keyboard, with security in mind. This announcement comes seven months after TCL and Blackberry announced an end to their licensing deal on August 31, 2020.

TCL said the BlackBerry devices KeyOne, Key2 and Key2 LE, as well as a few less popular all touchscreen phones from the brand, will receive customer service and warranty service until August 31 2022. TCL will focus on its own not-so-successful smartphone brand.

OnwardMobility will conduct product planning and market development for BlackBerry smartphones in North America and FIH Mobile will design and manufacture the BlackBerry devices under strict guidelines to ensure component, device and supply chain integrity.

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