BlackBerry 9720 announced to keep a candle burning for BlackBerry 7

BlackBerry may be focusing most prominently on its BlackBerry 10 OS and the smartphones within that family but it's not abandoning the former versions of its operating system altogether. Indeed, the new BlackBerry 9720 has been announced and it is a standard bearer for BlackBerry 7.

The Qwerty-keyboard toting handset comes with a 2.8-inch touchscreen and trackpad "for easy navigation". It features BlackBerry 7.1 from the box, which includes
an updated user interface and option to access the camera from the lock screen. Like many modern smartphones, it also allows you to swipe the screen to unlock it.

There is a dedicated BBM key, and BBM Voice offers free voice calling over Wi-Fi. BBM Channels are also on their way to the messenger service, soon being available to download from BlackBerry World, allowing you to tune in and connect with the businesses, brands, celebrities and groups you are passionate about.

A built-in FM radio is part of the 9720's make up, as are BlackBerry Enterprise Server or BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express services, meaning it will suit the business sector as well as the consumer.
It will be available in the UK and other regions, such as Latin America, Asia and the rest of Europe and the Middle East, over the next few weeks. Pricing is yet to be announced, but will be determined by carriers.