BlackBerry unveils full-touchscreen Leap phone

Although the recent smartphone offerings from BlackBerry have included its signature physical keyboard, the smartphone maker is not done with the full touchscreen experience.

The company announced the BlackBerry Leap during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona on Tuesday. The device includes a five-inch HD display and a full day's worth of battery life, the company claims.

The Leap is placing a big emphasis on security, including support for encryption, built-in malware protection and the ability to easily back up, wipe and restore the phone.

"BlackBerry Leap was built specifically for mobile professionals who see their smartphone device as a powerful and durable productivity tool that also safeguards sensitive communications at all times," says Ron Louks, BlackBerry's president of Devices and Emerging Solutions, in a statement.

BlackBerry says the phone's battery will allow for "25 hours of heavy use." The phone will also include the latest version of the BlackBerry 10 operating system and access to both the BlackBerry and Amazon app stores.

No details were provided on release date or the price of the smartphone.

Last year, BlackBerry launched two new smartphones -- the Classic and the square-shaped Passport -- that feature a physical keyboard. However, BlackBerry remains in the shadow of bigger competitors including Apple, Google and Samsung. According to research firm IDC, devices running the BlackBerry operating system command a 0.4% share of smartphones shipped worldwide last year.

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