BlackBerry – Tutor Dasher

In summary Interest and hype around BlackBerry continues into 2026 Viral social media videos show influencers ditching modern smartphones for classic models in a ‘digital detox’ A Chinese firm has relaunched the Q20 Classic with upgraded hardware and Android 13 More alternatives continue to appear from Unihertz and Clicks Once the height of the mobile market, the humble BlackBerry was a must-have phone, in part for how BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) completely changed the game for messaging on the go, paving the way for the likes of WhatsApp and iMessage. Although the brand is now largely defunct, that hasn’t stopped BlackBerry from having a vinyl-like revival, which has spiralled into a viral trend. As more people continue to embrace the idea of moving away from traditional smartphones in the hope of having a healthier, less dependent relationship with their tech, the BlackBerry has swooped in as a promise of what could have been if candybar-style phones hadn’t taken off and completely dominated the market. With all BlackBerry phones now being completely second-hand, however, trying to get your hands on one can be quite an endeavour, but there are plenty of companies looking to fill the gap with their own physical keyboard clone devices. To know more about the BlackBerry revival and better understand the options available to you (if you’re tempted to take the plunge yourself), keep on reading. Is BlackBerry making a new phone in 2026? In a word, no. Don’t expect there to be a new BlackBerry phone anytime soon or possibly ever. There was supposed to be a new BlackBerry model in 2021, but it never happened. While you can keep on scrolling to find out exactly what happened to that phone, you’ll be glad to know that there are options out there for anyone in the market for a BlackBerry-esque experience. Near the end of last year, the long-awaited Zinwa Q25 Pro came to market, providing an updated reskin of the BlackBerry Classic, effectively giving fans a means of enjoying the traditional BlackBerry design but with more modern components that make it a viable handset in 2026. The phone also runs Android as standard, so you have access to crucial software such as WhatsApp and Instagram. Zinwa Other upgrades include 12GB RAM alongside the MediaTek Helio G99 chipset, and 4G compatibility so you can connect to nearby network signals without issue. Unfortunately, the Q25 Pro is not available in India as a result of the country’s regulations regarding imported tech, which forced the company to cancel and refund all India-based pre-orders. The company is also planning a similar refurbishing process for the BlackBerry Passport, this time labelled the Zinwa P26, but we’ll make sure to update this section once more information appears. For an entirely new device, there’s the Zinwa Q27, described as a ‘modern BlackBerry clone’, but it won’t arrive before May 2026, according to the site. It will have a 3.92-inch AMOLED screen, MediaTek Dimensity 7300 processor and run Android 16. Two other options come in the form of the Unihertz Titan 2 Elite and the Clicks Communicator (below). Despite being similar in appearance, these two devices have different approaches to usability. With a promised five years of software updates, the Titan 2 Elite is being positioned as a genuine alternative within the Android phone market, whilst the Cicks Communicator is pitched as a companion device to your main phone, being a distraction-free device that lets you lock in with typing and messaging. Chris Hall / Foundry There’s also the Clicks Power Keyboard, which is now available to pre-order for £81/$109 and is ideal for anyone who wants to add a bit of BlackBerry functionality to their phone without swapping to an entirely new device. Because it connects to your phone via a MagSafe connection, it’s best designed for users of the iPhone 12 onwards, although it can also be used in tandem with the Pixel 10 range of phones. Why are BlackBerry phones getting popular in 2025/26? There’s recent hype for BlackBerry largely due to a viral trend on social media. It appears that some Gen Zs, after recycling various other 2000s trends and fashions, have adopted BlackBerry as a new go-to mobile phone option. The idea being, like basic Nokias, is that it’s a way to detox from the addictive nature of a full-blown smartphone. Less doomscrolling, in-app purchases, binging YouTube videos when you should be asleep and such like. It’s appealing to me, and I’m not even close to being Gen Z. Viral TikTok hits include this clip from shozie_055 with the caption “POV: you bought a blackberry in 2025 bc your iPhone is ruining your life.” and has millions of views. There are also plenty of YouTubers reviewing phones like the BlackBerry Classic in a ‘still worth buying?’ way. It seems to be a follow-on trend from the ‘flip phone challenge’, where you ditch your modern smartphone for an old-style basic flip phone like the iconic Motorola V3 for a period of time, or as long as you can. It’s something our Mobile Editor tried for a week, albeit not a flip model. Ironically, most of the videos going viral about ditching an iPhone or Android phone for a BlackBerry have been posted on TikTok, one of the apps we should arguably all be reducing our screen time on. It doesn’t even run on a BlackBerry. Do BlackBerry phones still work? There’s certainly nothing stopping you from using an old BlackBerry phone in 2026, assuming that the device is in working order and you have a compatible charger. You can even put your SIM card in and pretend the millennium just happened a few years ago. The most recent models are the 2017 KeyOne and 2018’s Key2 (both made by TCL under license and running Android). There was also the popular BlackBerry Passport in 2014 – yes, we’ve reviewed many BlackBerry phones over the years. The BlackBerry Key2Foundry If you want a ‘genuine’ classic BlackBerry, then look to models like the Q10 from 2013 running BlackBerry OS 10. Or, if you want a more old-school option, the Curve 8520 from 2009. Both have the iconic physical keyboard, as does the Bold series. One of the most popular models being used and revisited in 2026 is the BlackBerry Classic (below), a 2014 model which was the last to offer the truly iconic rounded form factor with modern specs and features. Foundry However, it’s worth noting that you won’t have support for various modern apps since the operating system is now effectively defunct. That includes WhatsApp, so while you might be able to detox from addictive games and apps, you won’t have those DMs and group chats that you likely rely on. There’s also a potential security risk. Just like older versions of Android and iOS, the lack of security updates means you might be exposing yourself to cybercrime. You might argue that attackers will be targeting operating systems with a larger user base, but if BlackBerry usage starts to increase due to these viral videos, that will likely catch the interest of hackers. If you do decide to use a BlackBerry (with or without a SIM card), avoid using any banking apps or other high-risk services, whether you can find an app to download or access it via a browser. It’s simply not worth the risk. Stick to basic, low-risk apps as a rule of thumb. Where to buy a BlackBerry phone in 2026 While you can’t just walk into your phone network’s store and buy a BlackBerry, there are plenty of ways of getting hold of one. You might even have an old one lying in a drawer or cupboard, but if not, you can easily source one from the likes of

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