BlackBerry-style phone features a physical keyboard and dual screens
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BlackBerry-style phone features a physical keyboard and dual screens
Unihertz’s upcoming Titan 2 phone looks like it’s modeled on beloved BlackBerry handsets. It features a full QWERTY layout with backlit tactile keys. There are also two shortcut buttons on the side that you can customize to quickly access functions on the phone. The handset features a 50-megapixel camera on the back, as well as an 8- megapixel telephoto lens. It’s a bit hefty at 8.3 oz (235 g), and a bit thicker than most phones available today at 10.8 mm (0.42 in) Unihertz is currently crowdfunding on Kickstarter; the phone can be had for $269 at the time of writing, down from the expected price of $399. It will ship in October to select countries, with charges ranging from $10-$30, and will be available for pre-order starting at $99 in the U.S. and $199 in other countries. The company has been in the business for several years now, and its products have received well from crowdfunding campaigns.
More specifically, the Titan 2 looks a lot like the boxy BlackBerry Passport from 2014, with a 4.5-inch 1440×1440-px square display gracing its flat-edge body. The Shanghai-based brand, which is known for making tiny phones and rugged ones, is squarely aiming at nostalgic gadgetheads – and despite the brazen design imitation, it works for me.
The keyboard, which takes up the bottom third of the device’s face, features a full QWERTY layout with backlit tactile keys. Those keys can do a couple of neat tricks: they double as a trackpad so you can scroll through documents and TikToks without touching the screen, they support gestures to move the cursor around while working with text, and you can assign long-press or short-press shortcuts to each of them (like launching specific apps).
Unihertz Titan 2 – The Latest 5G QWERTY Smartphone
That should all help you get plenty of use out of the keyboard. There are also two shortcut buttons on the side that you can customize to quickly access functions on the phone.
You’ll find a secondary 2-inch display on the rear panel by the camera bump that shows you a clock as well as who’s calling (and likely other notifications as well).
The secondary touchscreen shows notifications, a clock, and app shortcuts Unihertz
On the inside, the Android 15-based Titan 2 is a major step up from the Titan that came out in 2019. It packs a mid-range MediaTek Dimensity 7300 octa-core chipset – the same one powering the US$279 CMF Phone 2 Pro, and the Motorola Razr 60 Ultra. That’s paired with 12 GB of memory, and a roomy 512 GB of storage.
The Titan 2 gets modern niceties like dual SIM card slots and fast charging support Unihertz
The handset features a 50-megapixel camera on the back, as well as an 8-megapixel telephoto lens. There’s also a 32-megapixel snapper on the front. I wouldn’t expect outstanding image quality out of these, but at least you’ve got some flexibility when it comes to shooting photos.
The cameras likely won’t be amazing, but they should afford you some flexibility in snapping photos Unihertz
With a decent 5,050-mAh and 33-W fast-charging – along with an included charger in the box, a nice touch – Unihertz promises the Titan 2 should last you all day. It supports 5G bands, comes with a dual SIM slot, and can be unlocked with your face.
Unihertz says the Titan 2 will receive software updates until at least Android 17, along with essential security and system patches along the way.
It’s a bit hefty at 8.3 oz (235 g), and a bit thicker than most phones available today at 10.8 mm (0.42 in). For reference, an iPhone 16 Plus is only 7.80 mm (0.31 in) and weighs 7.03 oz (199 g).
At 8.3 oz and nearly 11mm thick, the Titan 2 is a chonky boy Unihertz
All that makes for a compelling package. The only real alternative to this for Android folks is the recent Clicks keyboard case, but that only fits select Google Pixel and Motorola Razr models.
I imagine the only notable drawback with the Titan 2 if you’re coming off a traditional smartphone is the fact that vertical video will naturally shrink to fit the wide screen. Still, this is first and foremost a productivity-focused phone, so it shouldn’t be too much of a bother for business types who are looking to do a lot of typing like in the old days.
I’ve certainly missed the satisfying feeling of typing on a BlackBerry-style keyboard, as well as the clever trackpad functionality Unihertz
The Titan 2 is currently crowdfunding on Kickstarter; it can be had for $269 at the time of writing, down from the expected retail price of $399. Assuming all goes to plan, the phone will ship in October to select countries, with charges ranging from $10-$30.
While the screen measures only 4.5 inches, it certainly looks serviceable with most apps Unihertz
As with other crowdfunding campaigns, the usual cautions apply. For what it’s worth, Unihertz has been in the phone business for several years now, and its products have previously been well received.
Source: Kickstarter
Source: https://newatlas.com/consumer-tech/blackberry-unihertz-titan2-phone-physical-keyboard/