BlackBerry KEY2 & KEY2 LE get August security updates

Many years ago, BlackBerry was the real deal. Access to emails on the go was the company’s selling point since no competitor could offer it to the masses back then. Sure, you probably couldn’t afford a BlackBerry yourself, but there’s no doubt you probably knew or saw someone who owned one.

Fast forward to 2019, BlackBerry is no longer the force it was in the mobile phone industry. Like its fellow mobile phone giant, Nokia, the Canadian company has been pushing for a stake in the highly competitive smartphone market using a different strategy.

Instead of doing the dirty work all by itself, BlackBerry no longer makes phones, instead, it has contracted several players that include TCL (worldwide), BB Merah Putih (Indonesia), and Optiemus Infracom (India) to make phones and distribute them with the BlackBerry branding.

On its part, BlackBerry only handles the software side of things, which is the subject of this post. As I write this, those using both the BlackBerry KEY2 and the BlackBerry KEY2 LE are receiving new updates that install the latest Android security patch for the month of August 2019.

Here is the August patch for the KEY². As usual, this is NOT for Chinese, Russian, or Indian devices. Also, this will not work on any of the new EU variants that have a PRD ending in -5xx. Sorry, but only the common signatures are available.
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As pointed out above, the incoming August security update isn’t available for all KEY2 units, rather, it’s so far limited to carrier unlocked North American variants. The update is rolling out as version ACB168 and is airborne.

The KEY2 hasn’t received the expected Android OS update to Android 9 Pie, which means the incoming software is still based on the OS that powers the device out of the box – Android 8.1 Oreo. Hopefully, the KEY2 will be upgraded to Pie at some point.

Despite the update having been confirmed for the North American region, not all BlackBerry KEY2 units sold in the region have received the OTA download notification, which is nothing unusual. Typically, OTA updates may take days before all units receive the download notification.

No update on Telus yet still waiting…..
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Just downloading it on Telus right now.
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From the look of things, the update is arriving with support for Wi-Fi Calling for those using the KEY2 on Bell Canada.

If you own the BlackBerry KEY2 LE, the update is also coming your way as version ACB168, same as the standard KEY2. It’s also airborne and targeting the North American region. So far, U.S. unlocked and Verizon Wireless users of the KEY2 LE in the U.S. are already receiving the OTA.

Thanks! I just received the same update for my unlocked ATOMIC (Best Buy) dual sim GSM only Key 2 LE and also I received ACB 168 for my just received SLATE KEY 2 LE purchased from Go Talk USA -dual sim and works – unlocked on BOTH Verizon AND AT&T (and all GSM Carriers in the US)!
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Like the KEY2, the August security update for the KEY2 LE is not for Indian or the new EU variants with a PRD ending in -5xx, so be sure to keep this in mind before you start throwing tantrums. Even so, the update should be pushed to devices in more regions in the coming days or weeks.

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