Skip to main content

BlackBerry's DTEK60 is a security-focused smartphone for businesses, govenment

Let it not be said that BlackBerry isn’t persistent. Following a rough beginning to the year — the company reported first-quarter device sales of 500,000 units, a dip from the 2.1 million the firm sold during the same period in 2014 — the company is angling for a comeback. It released the DTEK50, “the world’s most secure” Android smartphone, in July to some fanfare. And on Tuesday, it took the wraps off the DTEK60, a high-end handset with proprietary security software that BlackBerry contends in among the most advanced on the market.

If the DTEK60 looks a little familiar, that’s because the phone’s not exactly Blackberry through and through. In accordance with the company’s decision to end all internal hardware development last month, the DTEK60, like the DTEK50 before it, is the product of a third party — in this case, Alcatel manufacturing partner TCL Communications. It’s not exactly surprising then, that the DTEK60 takes more than a few design cues from one of TCL’s existing handsets, the TCL 950, and Alcatel’s Idol 4S. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

blackberry_dtek50-796x398
Image used with permission by copyright holder

The DTEK60 features a brushed aluminum cover, a tapered dual-glass panel, and sloping metal rims around all four corners of its recessed display. That display is a 5.5-inch model with Quad HD (2,560 x 1,440 pixels) resolution — BlackBerry’s largest to date. And the DTEK50’s internals are no less impressive: It packs a quad-core Snapdragon 820 processor, along with 4GB of RAM. There’s also a pair of capable cameras in the form of a 21-megapixel rear camera and an 8-megapixel front-facing sensor with a “selfie flash,” as well as accouterments like a USB Type-C port and rear-mounted fingerprint sensor. On the left-hand side, you’ll find the same programmable “Convenience Key” found on the DTEK50, and powering the phone is a 3,000mAh battery with QuickCharge 3.0

Recommended Videos

Software is the big attraction, however, and the DTEK60 appears to deliver. It, like the DTEK50, runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow modified with encryption technology “originally developed for the BB10” platform, BlackBerry’s now-deprecated mobile operating system. That includes a hardware Root of Trust, full disk encryption, a secure bootloader, the promise of “rapid” updates and security fixes, and BlackBerry’s suite of signature software tools. One, the Hub, aggregates unread emails, instant messages, calendar notifications, frequent contacts, app notifications, and scheduled tasks in a single view. The eponymous DTEK, meanwhile, acts as a sort of firewall against malware and “other security problems” — if you’ve recently installed known malware or your network settings are configured insecurely, for instance, it will suggest appropriate courses of action.

BlackBerry is positioning the DTEK60 as a device for business and government customers, but it’s selling the device unlocked from its website. It starts at $500 — substantially more than the $300 DTEK50. Nonetheless, BlackBerry is hoping the DTEK60 proves a hit among its target market. The company’s first-ever Android phone, the Priv, launched in November and contributed to the company’s disappointing device sales in the first quarter of this year.

neonangle3onwhiterev
Image used with permission by copyright holder

BlackBerry intends to pivot away from hardware entirely. The firm told The Verge that it will have “less of a hand” in the specs of future devices that carry its brand, and the company has made a concerted software push. Last month, its Mobile Solutions Group launched BlackBerry Hub+, a premium subscription suite that provides unlimited, ad-free access to the company’s Password Keeper, Calendar, Notes, Tasks, and Device Search apps for a monthly fee.

It’s a strategy that’s proven lucrative so far. In 2015, the Mobility Solutions Group generated more than $500 million, with revenue on track to grow 30 percent by the end of this year, BlackBerry said. The company’s hardware division, in contrast, suffered a loss of $21 million last fiscal quarter.

Kyle Wiggers
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Kyle Wiggers is a writer, Web designer, and podcaster with an acute interest in all things tech. When not reviewing gadgets…
New iPhone 17 Pro render keeps us guessing on the final design
Apple iPhone 17 Pro Render

Apple is to expected to announce the iPhone 17 series later this year, likely sometime in September if previous release patterns are anything to go by. By our calculations, that puts us around five months out, though math is not our strong point – we're writers here after all. 

What we do know however, is that in the upcoming months we are no doubt going to see more conflicting rumors about what we can expect from the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro models in terms of design. A few months back, it was suggested the iPhone 17 Pro models would feature a new camera bar across their rear, taking on a more Pixel-like approach. 

Read more
Moto’s Galaxy Z Flip 6 rival could offer better performance for less cash
Someone holding the Motorola Razr Plus 2024, showing the back of the phone.

91Mobile reports that Motorola’s upcoming foldable phone, the Razr 60 Ultra, could be a powerhouse. The new phone is expected to be announced in just a few days.

As the site explains, the Razr 60 Ultra is expected to include the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, which is also found in other 2025 flagships, including the OnePlus 13 and Samsung Galaxy S25 series.

Read more
Lenovo’s affordable notetaking tablet just dropped to $130
Someone holding the Lenovo Tab M11.

If you want a tablet that's capable of multi-tasking and operation in multiple windows, you don't actually need to buy an expensive tablet or one of the best 2-in-1 tablets. You can actually get everything you need with a Lenovo Tab M11, an affordable tablet that is normally just $180. That's a pretty good deal already, but it gets even better with this tablet deal — today you can get a Lenovo Tab M11 for just $130, a savings of $50. Learn more about the tablet below, or check out its store page and take advantage of this deal by tapping the button below.

Why you should buy the Lenovo Tab M11
The Lenovo Tab M11 has an 11-inch, 1920 x 1200 pixel screen that refreshes at 90Hz. It only has 4GB of RAM but still has the capabilities to use a split screen or multiple windows for multiple tasks at once. Or it can pass tasks to another (presumably more powerful) device via Bluetooth. It also has reading and document scan modes that make the Lenovo Tab M11 a perfect tablet for studying. This version of the tablet comes with 64GB of storage.

Read more