Our readers have spoken: a new 5G BlackBerry is a must-have

This is a good sign as we wait for OnwardMobility to release its BlackBerry phone.

What you need to know

• Our readers overwhelmingly voted in favor of a new BlackBerry smartphone.
• Some readers reminisced over older BlackBerry phones like the Priv and KeyOne.
• Some of our readers have no interest in a new BlackBerry, while others see the merit in one.

Earlier this week, we asked our readers if they were interested in a new BlackBerry smartphone. After all, it's been a few years since the fairly impressive BlackBerry Key2 launched, and OnwardMobility reinvigorated interest in a new device by launching a waitlist. We don't know anything about the upcoming device, but fans may be able to help influence its development to some extent.

However, we received an overwhelmingly positive response, with 1,514 participants (76%) voting in favor of a new BlackBerry device. 12% of participants had no interest but saw the merit of a new BlackBerry, while 11% thought that the company should just bow out.

One reader, Stephen Severino, made a case for why they think a phone with a physical keyboard is necessary in this day and age of all-screen slabs:

• Nothing is more annoying than watching a software keyboard pop up and fill half my screen real estate or move the content I was just about to tap.
• We spend a lot of money on nice screens, only to have them smeared and smudged. The capacitive keyboard on my Passport always kept my screen clean.
• Hotkeys to open apps instead of flipping through app drawers is a time saver.
• Touch typing without looking is something I've never mastered on a software keyboard, and I don't always feel comfortable using speech to text in public.
• Copy and paste with a trackpad, ball, or capacitive keys is way better than dragging the flag. Yes, there's a software option in Gboard, but it takes too many taps to get to.
• Typing on keys feels better. Period.

Some of the comments were a little less enthusiastic about a new BlackBerry but saw its merit. Jruasap says they have no desire for a phone with a physical keyboard but "would love to see this just to get more and different phones out there. The loss of LG is huge and too many phones are similar these days." R.I.P. LG.

Jimmy Hallmark believes a new BlackBerry would be a niche device, particularly as a flagship phone, and probably wouldn't succeed against the likes of the best Android phones. "I do think they might find some success as a midrange Android maker sans the keyboard. They would have to be willing to compete and be a high value for money proposition. If they come out with phones that cost $1000 then forget it."

On Facebook, readers seemed less interested, although one commenter, Will Colon, had a yearning for past hardware design with today's specs. "Give me the last blackberry bold updated with today's OS and I'd be happy."

Some users on Twitter were also yearning for the past:

If the new mystery phone is a Priv-style device, I'm pre-ordering. I loved that phone, it just needed better software

— Nighttiger (@Nighttiger314) July 28, 2021

To be honest, it doesn't. Now if @TMobile wanted to drop a new #sidekick I'll be on board for that!!

— George Hardeman (@akaGoldenArm) July 29, 2021

With this kind of response, it seems there is a place for a new 5G BlackBerry smartphone, after all. Let's just hope OnwardMobility can deliver one soon.