The BlackBerry PRIV is still fresh in the minds of smartphone buyers looking to get a taste of the old familiar BlackBerry craftsmanship with a new a coat of paint and a new set of software thanks to Android, and already there are rumors floating about on an upcoming second Android-powered BlackBerry. There has been some speculation previously that BlackBerry might end up with more than one phone running on the Android operating system, and the company’s CEO even hinted that more devices would be on the way. Today consumers will get what appears to be the first look at that potential second device as leaked images have popped up showing a possible early design.
These leaked renders are said to be showing off the BlackBerry Vienna, what has come to be known so far as BlackBerry’s second Android device following the PRIV that just recently launched on the AT&T network. The Vienna takes on a much more BlackBerry inspired aesthetic compared to the PRIV, having a taller form factor to accommodate the touchscreen but also an always openly visible full QWERTY keyboard like consumers are used to seeing from BlackBerry’s devices. Based on the image render it also appears that th Vienna may forgo the use of soft navigation keys like most of the Android devices carry today, and use what looks like hard keys corresponding to the home button, recents button, and back button.
The image also shows off the phone in varying different colors including a white or silver, blue, orange, and a green color, although it’s unclear whether or not BlackBerry would have plans to release all of these colors in a production model as no designs are final, and there is no confirmation that this is an actual early design. There’s also the possibility that this is our first look at BlackBerry’s second Android phone and they could end up launching more colors than just what’s shown here. The Vienna appears to have both front and rear facing cameras, with the rear camera coming equipped with an LED Flash. Speakers would appear to be bottom-mounted with a charging port on the left side sitting just above enclosed trays for the SIM and microSD cards, while the volume rocker and power buttons reside on the right side of the device. It’s important to note that these are just renders, and at the moment just rumors since there is no confirmation from BlackBerry, but perhaps BlackBerry will shed light on details in the months ahead.