By the middle of
the first quarter next year, TCL will introduce the T1 Pro with a curved AMOLED
screen and four cameras on the back (perhaps a telephoto camera with optical
zoom capabilities will be added). Pricing will be less than 499 EUR (US$ 553.52). Late in the second quarter of next year, 5G capable versions of the T1
and T1 Pro will be unveiled priced at approximately 549 EUR (US$ 609) and over
599 EUR (US$ 665) respectively.
And by the time the third quarter rolls around
next year, TCL is expected to announce its piece de resistance. That would be
the TCL FLEXTAB with a flexible AMOLED panel. Whether this is a foldable phone
or tablet, it will be priced above 1,299 EUR (US$ 1,451 USD). That means that the
foldable could come in under the $1,980 Samsung Galaxy Fold and the US$ 2,600
(based on exchange rates) Huawei Mate X.
Note that the
roadmap, which goes up until the end of the third quarter next year, doesn't
give us any indication about the possibility of TCL pushing out a BlackBerry
KEY3 later this year or three-quarters of the way through 2020. But those of
you out there who love physical QWERTY keyboards shouldn't panic. That might be
because the roadmap doesn't appear to include licensed brands. TCL could also
be holding out, waiting for 5G to become more widespread so that it can release
a 5G enabled BlackBerry KEY3. We could also see a 5G all-touch BlackBerry
handset on the horizon as well. While certainly niche devices, the KEY2, and
KEY2 LE have proved to be popular among those consumers who need a physical
QWERTY keyboard to be productive.
