BlackBerry Q20 release date: Specs of the BB10 powered BlackBerry Q20, which could also be dubbed BlackBerry Classic, is expected to contain the much loved QWERTY keyboard of many BB users. Aside from other speculated high-end features like a TFT capacititive touchscreen with up to 1440 x 1440 pixel resolution, the BlackBerry Classic may also have the Bold series’ classic and elegant look.

But one question in people’s mind is, will this device, rumored to be launching on November 2014, be enough to compete with the upcoming iPhone 6 and the Samsung Galaxy S5?

The almighty iPhone by Apple has allowed the Cupertino tech giant to hold a very strong 41.4% lead in market share, followed by Samsung, which has 27.7% of the market according to a recent study by comScore. Amongst the top five OEMs that’s holding leadership position in the market, BlackBerry is not in the list. Apple and Samsung is followed by LG, Motorola and HTC.

An earlier study noted, however, that BlackBerry may have 4% of the market, which is a tenth of what it use to have when it was leading the mobile indusry with its devices.

Since the dawn of the high-end smartphone era, led by Apple with its launch of the first generation iPhone in 2007 in June 29, 2007, BlackBerry has attempted to enter the market with its own versions of handsets with limited success.

In the last quarter of 2013, BlackBerry only sold 1.1 million smartphones, compare this to the 51 million iPhones that Apple sold in the same period.

BGR notes that BlackBerry’s base of consumers is shrinking and is mainly targeting a very loyal group of keyboard-loving smartphone users.

BusinessWeek reported in January 2014 that in an interview with Bloomberg TV’s Jon Erlichman, BlackBerry CEO John Chen noted that the company will “predominantly focus on smartphones with physical keyboards rathen than touchscreens.”

It seems then that the move for a new and refreshed BlackBerry Classic, complete with keyboard, won’t necessarily allow the Ontario-based tech company to compete with major flagships. But it will enable it to continue satisfying a loyal customer base that though small and niche could rival the passions of the “cult of Apple.”