Android keyboard-phone nostalgia may be getting a more literal revival. Android Authority reports that Zinwa Technologies is preparing to sell a fully assembled BlackBerry Passport-inspired handset called the P26, with pre-orders set to begin October 3 and shipments expected around late October.
The reported launch would mark Zinwa’s second BlackBerry-style Android project. Android Authority says the company has already been selling DIY kits and an Android-based BlackBerry Classic refurb for more than a year, and has spent months working on a Passport restoration with updated internals.
What the assembled P26 is expected to include
Because Zinwa has not fully detailed the assembled version, much of what is known appears to come from the company’s existing P26 DIY kit, as described by Android Authority. That kit points to a MediaTek Helio G99 processor, 12GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage, along with a 3,900mAh battery and a USB-C port replacing the original phone’s older connector.
Android Authority also reports that the retrofit keeps the Passport-style physical keyboard and 3.5mm headphone jack, while adding a 50MP rear camera and an 8MP front camera. The outlet further reports that Zinwa showed the keyboard’s embedded touchpad working in a separate video.
Software details are less firm. Android Authority says the DIY kit runs Android 14 and that buyers of the assembled model will likely get that as well, but the software for the finished handset has not been fully confirmed.
Price is still unclear
Zinwa has not disclosed a price for the assembled phone, according to Android Authority. The outlet notes that the P26 DIY kit is listed at $620 before shipping, and suggests the completed version could cost more.
That leaves the P26 looking less like a mainstream comeback than a collector-focused niche device: a modernized take on one of BlackBerry’s most distinctive designs, but built for buyers who specifically want the wide Passport form factor and hardware keyboard rather than a cheaper contemporary Android phone.
