Retro BlackBerry Q20 revived with Android upgrade

A small company revives the BlackBerry Classic with an Android upgrade kit, sparking nostalgia and questions about security and market demand.

Retro BlackBerry Q20 Gets New Life With Android Upgrade Kit

Zinwa Technologies is selling a $320 upgrade kit called the Q25 Pro that replaces the BlackBerry Classic’s core components with a modern board. The upgrade swaps the CPU, RAM, storage, cameras, battery, and charging port for a MediaTek G99 chip, 12GB RAM, 256GB storage, NFC, and LTE. Donor Q20 units are required, and the device keeps the original 720x720 screen and QWERTY keyboard. The kit also moves to USB-C and improves the rear and selfie cameras to 50MP and 8MP respectively.

The company also offers a $420 Q25 Pro full device that keeps the same physical design while delivering the same upgrades in a complete package. Enthusiasts have taken note, with Pebble founder Eric Migicovsky sharing praise on X about the fit, feel, and the return of Blackberry aesthetics. The Q25 Pro runs Android 13 rather than the latest release, which has sparked questions about future security updates and long-term support.

Nostalgia is driving a small but persistent market for older technologies with a modern twist. The Q25 Pro taps into a longing for tactile keyboards and compact hardware, while testing the durability of niche devices in a software ecosystem that moved on long ago. The project shows how enthusiast communities can keep a brand alive through hardware mods, yet it also raises questions about security, update cadence, and the practical value of reviving aging hardware in 2025. If only a minority of users bite, the effort may serve as a curiosity; if the niche expands, it could reinvigorate interest in quirky, purpose-built devices.

Highlights

Nostalgia meets tinkering, and the final test is whether the Q25 Pro finds a durable audience.