BlackBerry Mobile declares it accomplished its mission with 2017 unit sales

BlackBerry Mobile, a subsidiary of TCL Group has sold 850,000 BlackBerrys in 2017 as per IDC. Mostly focused on the KEYOne and some initial Motion models, this figure may seem insignificantly small to some but the company said it has accomplished its mission of putting the brand back on the map on an interview with The Verge.

BlackBerry devices are available in 50 countries and sold by 110 carriers, they don't just appeal to BlackBerry loyalists or new users seeking differentiation, they are resonant with users who want the Android experience but also crave security and privacy as built-in features. BlackBerry Mobile has indicated it will bring two new models to market this year, we also expect variants of the KEYOne and Motion to continue in countries where these devices are selling well.

Source: The Verge

Videotron becomes first Canadian carrier to enable toll-free international calling over Wi-Fi

Videotron  is the first Canadian carrier to enable its customers to place toll-free calls over Wi-Fi to a local number or to Canada in more than a hundred countries¹. Videotron’s new Wi-Fi Calling service lets eligible mobile customers² connect to a Wi-Fi network to make voice calls and send text messages, at home and abroad.

“We are confident that this new generation of mobile voice services will meet our customers’ needs and make their lives easier when they’re travelling and when they’re not,” says Bertrand Hébert, Vice President, Marketing of Videotron. “Videotron is strongly committed to mobile innovation and is constantly testing the technological limits to provide the best possible customer experience.”

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Sony Mobile and Bell promise increased Gigabit LTE speeds on Xperia XZ2 devices

Sony and Bel say Canadians will be able to experience the next generation of network speeds with this ground-breaking smartphone starting in late spring of this year. While this is not 5G, it represents the fastest performance on 4G LTE networks where hardware supports it.
 
The new Xperia XZ2 features the Snapdragon 845 Mobile Platform with X20 LTE. The Xperia XZ2 brings a new haptic experience, adding the perceptual sense of touch so you can feel your viewing and listening experience. Canadians will be able to feel every beat, action and reaction with Xperia XZ2. Sort of like 3D touch that the iPhone has had for two generations now.

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Apple rumoured to be readying high-end over-ear headphones

Will the AirPods be joined by an over-ear option?

Audio seems to be the next focus for Apple, if the latest rumour is to be believed. KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claims Apple plans to release over-the-ear headphones this year. In an investors’ note spotted by Apple Insider, Kuo said the company will release a new premium pair of headphones. It seems like a natural transition for Apple with the recent launch of the HomePod and the rumoured second iteration of the AirPods, following the success of the first versions. The company also has Beats branding under its belt but it’s possible Apple might enter the high-end headphone market using its own branding. And yes, we expect it to be quite pricey—if they do decide to pursue this. Apple hasn’t released a comment on the report yet.

Source: CNET