The Inquirer

BlackBerry will release three more Android-powered smartphones

For some reason

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CANADIAN PHONE MAKER BlackBerry still ain't giving up on the smartphone market, and is reportedly gearing up to launch three - yes, three - further Android devices.

BlackBerry launched its first Android handset, the BlackBerry Priv, last year, and it's fair to say that it didn't exactly set the world on fire. We don't know exactly how much of a flop the handset has been, as the firm, perhaps unsurprisingly, refuses to reveal sales figures. 

For some reason, that hasn't stopped BlackBerry, and a report at VentureBeat details three upcoming Android-powered devices from the firm.

First is the BlackBerry Neon, a mid-range smartphone that ditches the keyboard in favour of a 5.2in Full HD touchscreen. Tucked underneath the aluminium frame is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 617 chip, 3GB of RAM, 16GB of storage and a 2,610mAh battery.

Related: In not complete unpraise of the BlackBerry Priv

Full specs haven't yet been revealed, but you can also expect 13MP and 8MP cameras when the BlackBerry Neon arrives in August.

The BlackBerry Argon is next, and will set its sights on the enterprise mobile market when it arrives in October. 

Despite a business focus, the Argon is also fully touchscreen and has the same 5.5in 2560x1440 QHD display as the BlackBerry Priv. Upping the ante, and probably the price compared with the BlackBerry Neon, the Argon will have a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor, 4GB of RAM, 32GB of storage and a 3,000mAh battery.

Rounding off the BlackBerry Argon's high-end specs is a fingerprint sensor, a USB Type-C charging port, and 21MP and 8MP cameras.

BlackBerry Mercury leak

The BlackBerry Mercury (above, via Mondo BlackBerry) rounds off the trio of leaked devices, but won't make its debut until Q1 2017, according to the report. 

Unlike the Neon and Argon, the Mercury will reportedly have a physical keyboard but, unlike the BlackBerry Priv, will come in a candybar design similar to the BlackBerry Passport.

A square-ish 4.5in Full HD display will come with a Snapdragon 625 CPU, a 3,400mAh battery and an 18MP rear-facing camera. µ 

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