Here's a closer look at the crazy Android phone BlackBerry is making

Over the past few months, rumors have suggested that BlackBerry is planning to release a new phone that runs on Android. Now, we're getting a first look at what the device may actually look like.

New leaked photos published by Android Authority show a BlackBerry-made Android phone with a keyboard that slides out from underneath its screen. Based on what we can see in the photo, it looks like the new BlackBerry phone, which is believed to be codenamed Venice, will run a clean near-stock version of Android.

Here's a look at the front of the phone. You'll notice the screen looks slightly curved, and there are speaker grills along the bottom.

And here's how it looks with the keyboard exposed:

We've seen images of the BlackBerry Venice leak in the past, but those were just renderings. This is the first time we're seeing the actual phone rather than just computer-generated images of what the device looks like.

Android Authority has also posted some photos that show us what the user interface looks like, too. Unsurprisingly, it looks like there are widgets for BlackBerry's BBM messaging service.

There may be some type of multi-window functionality as well.

BlackBerry hasn't announced any official plans to release an Android phone, but Reuters reported that the company is planning to do so back in June. When Business Insider spoke with BlackBerry CEO John Chen, he seemed confident that the company is going to make money on its phones again in the future. This could be one step in that direction. 

Source