On May 20, CEO Nguyen Tu Quang shared on the fanpage of Bphone Fans Club the reason why Bphone B86 was the first smartphone in the world with no key.

Bkav would like to quote the sharing of CEO Nguyen Tu Quang:

LIMITLESS EXPERIENCE

Why is Bphone B86 the first smartphone with no key in the world?

Few people know there is a version of Bphone 3 without key. It’s not a mistake, there was a Bphone 3 with no key in 2018, produced in parallel with Bphone 3. However, on the launch day, we introduced the version with traditional keys. The reason was that the experiment at that time was not mature enough to confirm its effectiveness.

You also know that right from 2015, Bphone 1 was a pioneer in using gestures. Bphone’s customers from the early days have halved the number of times they use the power key. Turning off the screen by swiping up, then down from the bottom of the screen is a pride and a very unique culture of Bfans. Anyone who has experienced this, please raise your hand with a comment below!

To Bphone 2017, the fingerprint sensor appeared, the power key on Bphone only had a function of reset in case the device was lagged and almost not used.

Bphone 3 was launched in a burst of emotions when the Mobile Director demonstrated Bphone with full gestures, the first device that could do so. Among the gestures, we can mention touching the right edge of the screen to increase or decrease the volume.

So the reason for the volume key to disappear on Bphone was formed in my mind, before Bphone 3 was launched. This was also the reason why there was a version of Bphone 3 without keys as mentioned above.

After nearly a year of research and test, the results show that the keyless experience is excellent. Bkav engineers have successfully solved the scenarios using the volume key, such as adjusting volume when on a call, accidentally opening a clip with sound in a meeting, when listening to music, etc. Not only that, the experiences of swiping fingerprint sensor, facing up the device in these scenarios are also more convenient and enjoyable than using traditional keys.

The power key only has a reset function in case the device is lagged, almost not used. I decided to adjust its mechanical design so that it could be back to its right role. It may have been just a small hole like a sim hole, but when needed, though very rare, it still needs a stick which is so inconvenient.

The solution is to make the reset hole and the power key into a reset "button". It must be small to be called a "button", but in case of reset, it can be pressed easily.

And then comes Bphone B86, the first smartphone in the world with no physical keys. Creativity is a process of concern and labor.

In the world, there are one or two companies introducing prototypes without keys, but all failed to produce an official version. Perhaps they have not overcome the limits of experience replaced by software.

Controversy over the tiny reset “button” on B86 and the "art" of marketing!

Prior to the launch of B86, I had presided over several meetings with the Marketing Department to consider saying Bphone B86 as the first smartphone in the world without a key. All the questions were about firm X, firm Y giving out their prototypes, clarifying the concept of “key” and “button”in Vietnamese.

Key is what protrudes in "almost" cases, and button is what concaves. I emphazize the word "almost" because in practice button and key are used interchangeably. And this is why it is interesting.

We know that a non-key statement will cause minor "arguments". It is within the boundary that saying a reset button or a reset key is all true and it is closer to a “button” than a “key”. So basically it is true to say no key, and the rest is a debate and isn’t it good for spreading the keyless feature of B86?

So marketing must base on the nature of truth and you can "amplify" it a little bit but do not change the nature and that brings enjoyment to life.

Wish you a good day!

Bkav