While not as retro as the return of the Nokia 3310, talking about a new BlackBerry phone does feel very in keeping with the reboot trend of late. However, the KEYone offers both style and substance, positioning itself as the mid-weight handset to beat.
BlackBerry has always been synonymous with business, evoking an image of the executive on the go, someone who wants to be able to run the world through their phone and still appreciates a well-written email.
In the same month that Apple has chosen to do away with their iconic home button, there’s something cheekily nostalgic about BlackBerry’s return to a physical keyboard. We’ve become so used to the haptic feedback of imitation buttons, it can take a while to get used to typing with real ones again, but is strangely satisfying.
With its steel and faux-leather design, its security-conscious software and its surprisingly long battery endurance, this is a solid workhorse of a phone, reliable and sleek.
The best way to buy your new BlackBerry KEYone
It used to be that if you were buying a new phone, you had two options: either buy your phone outright or get it on contract. We all know by this point that getting a SIM-free phone and then adding a SIM-only deal is the best way to save money in the long run, but not all of us have the money to stump up for an outright deal.
However, a new contender appeared on the market last year that offers customers a third, more wallet-friendly option – buying your phone on a custom-made finance plan through UNSHACKLED.com.
See more here on BlackBerry KEYone.
Buying your phone on finance means that you can spread the payments out without locking yourself into a set timetable. If you want to treat the plan like a credit card and clear the balance earlier, you can do so without any penalty fees.
Or you can let it roll through 24 months like a standard phone contract, except you’ll get notified when you’re fully paid up and won’t end up overpaying for your handset.
You can still buy the phone outright if you want to, and UNSHACKLED.com have a SIM marketplace that pulls in all the current SIM offers, making it easy to build yourself a phone deal that suits your usage and budget.
Comparing BlackBerry KEYone deals
It helps that UNSHACKLED.com offer the KEYone £100 cheaper than anyone else on the market right now, making it a real no-brainer.
Outright:
£499 everywhere else
£399 at UNSHACKLED.com
Phone deals:
Carphone Warehouse: 4gb data £28.99 a month, £59.99 upfront. £755.75 total
Affordablemobiles.co.uk: 5gb data £27.99 a month, £79 upfront. £750.76 total
UNSHACKLED.com: 4gb data £27.28 a month, no upfront. £654.72 total
Upgrade Plan:
There’s also the option of getting the new BlackBerry on UNSHACKLED.com’s upgrade plan, Switch 24. This lowers the monthly costs even further, down to £15.41 a month, whilst also allowing for a streamlined upgrade and trade-in process.
If you’re looking to switch devices regularly, this is a great option as you’re not tied into a contract or a particular tariff, you just send the phone back and get a new one.
