So far, only one phone design is known to “work” and everything else is considered an experiment or an exercise in failure. But once upon a time there was both beauty and chaos in the diversity, with a new phone form appearing almost every month (yes, we’re looking at you, old Nokia!). While the smartphone age made the screen-only candy bar the only winner, there was one design that almost stood the test of time. That would be BlackBerry’s QWERTY phones, a design perhaps forever associated with “work” more than anything else. The brand may be dead, but the design continues to spark the imagination and desire of some, as evidenced by this rather charming form factor that may never be.
Designers: Jasper Morrison for Point
The history of cell phones is almost a beautiful testament to the amazing adaptability of the human brain. Even with the T9 keyboard, which was actually designed for landline phones, people were able to quickly squeeze out text with only 12 keys. It was also the introduction of a full but miniature keyboard that made BlackBerry devices suitable for the more business minded. It’s also the company’s much-vaunted suite of services, including the once-mighty BBM or BlackBerry Messenger.
The history of that company and brand is now the stuff of legend, but interest in QWERTY phones, as they are called, apparently lives on. CrackBerry shared an exclusive look at one such attempt that almost brought that design back to life, though its fate still hangs in the balance. The Punkt MC01 Legend, from a Swiss company known for its minimalist phones, has taken this QWERTY idea and given it a more modern twist that really deserves a chance on the market.
Compared to the last traces of BlackBerry QWERTY phones, the MC01 Legend features a more ergonomic and distinctly minimal design. The keys are better spaced for thumb typing, and the back isn’t completely flat, but rises and falls to create an angled surface that makes it easier to grip the phone while typing. Granted, this makes the device thicker than even the thickest phone, but it chooses to optimize what it does best rather than looking good just for looks.
Unfortunately, the MC01 Legend may never appear, even though Punkt didn’t pick it up at all. There were obstacles to the device’s adoption, most of which had to do with Android being deemed unsuitable for both the unusual 4:3 screen size and the company’s strict stance on privacy. Either way, the design is really impressive and a bit charming, especially if you’re the type of phone user who does a lot of texting, e-mailing. emails and messages than watching Netflix or playing Genshin Impact.
