Last week we got a closer look at a bizarre-looking BlackBerry bearing the model number 9980. A fresh video giving us a the tour shows it’s not that different from the Bold 9900, and all of the real changes are cosmetic. On top of that, new information is suggesting the BlackBerry 9980 may be code-named Knight / R47, and that it will be Porsche-branded. This seems likely enough considering the blocky design falls in with the other two Porsche phones out there, and the font used on the keyboard is identical to the one they use on their site.
Aside from the change in casing, the BlackBerry 9980 looks like it’s got the same specs as the 9900: 5 megapixel camera with LED flash, 2.8-inch 640 x 480 touchscreen, and OS 7 software complete with the new version of App World. That’s certainly a load off, since there was a lot of worry that RIM had lost their aesthetic sensibilities. For those that are really into the Porsche lifestyle and are willing to shell out exorbitant sums for a luxury phone, this could be a solid partnership for BlackBerry. Nokia dabbled in luxury phones through Vertu, though I’m dubious that such a big investment paid off in the long run.
Now that that’s all figured out, hopefully we won’t have to look at this thing again until an official announcement.