A Chinese company called Zinwa Technologies is preparing to bring back the BlackBerry Classic Q20, but this time with modern hardware and the latest Android system. The new phone, called the Zinwa Q25 Pro, has already started creating excitement among fans who still miss the iconic design of BlackBerry.
The BlackBerry Classic was once the symbol of business, power, and success. People who carried it were seen as important. Celebrities, business leaders, and even politicians loved it. Madonna once said she slept with her BlackBerry by her pillow, while rapper Eminem was spotted using his long after most had moved to touchscreen phones.
The physical keyboard, the LED light, and the famous push email feature made BlackBerry more than a phone. It was a cultural icon. Now, Zinwa wants to bring that feeling back, but in a way that fits today’s smartphone world.
When you first look at the Zinwa Q25 Pro, it feels like the old BlackBerry Classic. It has the same square-shaped 720×720 touchscreen, the QWERTY keyboard, the outer shell, and even the glowing notification light. But when you turn it on, you see the difference. Inside, everything has been rebuilt with new technology.
The phone runs on a MediaTek Helio G99 processor, with 12GB of RAM and up to 256GB of storage. It also comes with a 3,000mAh battery, almost 15 percent bigger than the original, and cameras that finally match today’s standards a 50MP rear camera and an 8MP front camera for selfies and video calls.
Zinwa engineer explained in an interview, “We wanted to keep the look and feel of the Classic, but give it the heart of a modern smartphone. People loved the design, but they need performance too.”
Perhaps the biggest change is that the Q25 Pro does not run on BlackBerry’s old system. Instead, it ships with Android 13. This means users can download apps from the Google Play Store, use social media smoothly, and run modern tools. The Android interface also works well with the touchscreen, making it easy for new users to adapt.
But there is one concern. Zinwa has confirmed there are no plans to upgrade the device to Android 14 or higher. A spokesperson admitted, “We will give bug fixes and minor updates, but this phone is not about chasing the latest Android version. It is about giving users a stable, familiar, and nostalgic experience.”
The most loved features of BlackBerry were the capacitive trackpad, which allowed users to scroll with precision. Zinwa has brought it back and improved it to work with Android. The trackpad can be used both as a cursor and as a navigation tool, depending on the setting. In demonstrations, the trackpad moved smoothly, showing that the company worked hard to respect the original design.
The phone also includes USB-C charging, NFC, a headphone jack, a MicroSD card slot, and global 4G LTE support. While some users might be disappointed that it does not support 5G, Zinwa says the focus is on stability and worldwide compatibility.
The Zinwa Q25 Pro will be sold in two ways. The complete phone will cost $400, while a $300 conversion kit will be available for people who already own a BlackBerry Classic and want to upgrade it themselves. Both options will ship in August 2025, with mass production planned for September.
In a conversation with the YouTube channel Returning Retro, a Zinwa representative said, “We want to give people choices. Some want the phone ready to go, others want to build it themselves. Both are possible with the Q25” as reported by Tech Radar.
Zinwa has also revealed that this is just the beginning. The company is already working on new versions of the BlackBerry KEYone and Passport, which could launch as the K25 and P26. If the Q25 Pro succeeds, more BlackBerry classics could soon return to the market.
A long-time BlackBerry fan reacted on a community forum, writing, “I never thought I would see a new BlackBerry in 2025. The Classic was my favorite phone. If this works well, I’ll buy it on day one.”
The Zinwa Q25 Pro is not trying to compete with the latest iPhone or Samsung Galaxy. Instead, it is targeting people who want something different, something that combines the old feeling of BlackBerry with enough modern power to stay useful in 2025.
