BlackBerry launches square-screen Passport in turnaround push

TORONTO: BlackBerry Ltd's unconventional square-screened smartphone, the Passport, earned mixed reviews at its launch on Wednesday as the company's turnaround push moved into a critical phase in which it must prove its handsets are still desirable. 

BlackBerry showed off the new device at events in Toronto, London and Dubai. The smartphone, which has a large touchscreen and a modified version of the company's well-known keyboard, comes to market as the phones of BlackBerry's rivals all converge on a tall, rectangular profile.