Recent reports of BlackBerry getting onboard with Google's Android ecosystem have sparked interest among smartphone enthusiasts. Recent rumours have strongly suggested that the Canadian tech giant will launch its first ever Android smartphone, dubbed as Venice, as it struggles to reclaim its position in the competitive market.
The rumoured handset has once again hit headlines as a purported image has been leaked online along with its launch partner.
Popular mobile tipster, @evleaks, shared an official-looking press render of the BlackBerry Venice smartphone. Although the image gives away only the lower half of the handset's design, it is suffice to confirm the use of Android OS on the smartphone.
Also, /this/ pic.twitter.com/DL9BzAMEC4
— Evan Blass (@evleaks) July 3, 2015
Going by the leaked image, the lower part of the handset draws close resemblance with BlackBerry Passport with its three-row physical keypad. But the real hint of the handset's Android integration comes from the three navigation on-screen buttons for Back, Home and Multi-window, primarily found on Android phones. The leaked image shared by @evleaks follows an update on the BlackBerry Venice's release, which according to Evan Blass will be exclusive to AT&T. Currently there is no information on whether the handset will be released on other carriers and markets.
The Android-powered BlackBerry Venice slider is AT&T-bound. — Evan Blass (@evleaks) July 2, 2015
Adding more credibility to the ongoing rumours, BlackBerry CEO John Chen said the company will make an Android phone only if it can deliver the high-security standards it holds with great value, NDTV reported. So far, rumours have revealed that the BlackBerry Venice slider smartphone will run Android 5.1 OS and sport a dual-edge curved display. Other specs include a 5.4-inch QHD display, 18MP primary camera, 5MP front snapper and a 1.8GHz hexa-core 64-bit Snapdragon 808 SoC paired with 3GB RAM.
