BlackBerry dropped a huge bombshell yesterday announcing it would no longer make phones. Instead, the struggling Canadian firm said that it would begin outsourcing hardware development to third parties.

The news led many fans to to mourn their cherished BlackBerries and feared the worst for the iconic BlackBerry QWERTY keyboard. However, BlackBerry CEO John Chen put those fears to rest today by confirming that the physical QWERTY keyboard would live on.

"We need to sit down with each [company] to work on a portfolio," said Chen speaking with Business News Network. "[QWERTY] will continue on but we'll be very selective."

But will anyone actually care about BlackBerry retaining its iconic physical keyboard? Digital keyboards are now so good that many people can type on them without issue. It took some getting used to, especially with trusting auto correct, but a physical keyboard on a phone seems like a relic of the past.

"For those coming from fully touchscreen devices the keyboard on the Priv will likely feel outdated and clunky," said our very own John McCann in his BlackBerry Priv review. "The keys are small, and I continually found myself hitting the wrong letters."

There are plenty of third-party keyboard apps for both Android and iOS for users to choose from. Swiftkey is great for those who want intelligent typing. Google Gboard is great for iOS users who want quick access to search results and animated GIFs.

Despite that the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus are still hot from the oven, a new analyst report already bets that next year's iPhone will change up the design, sporting a glass back reminiscent of the iPhone 4.

The report was put together by Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities, which has a reliable track record of predictions and bases its findings on the reaction to this year's iPhone 7 announcement, 9to5Mac reports.

Kuo already wagered that the 2017 iPhone would go glass as far back as this spring - adding that the device will also have a 5.8-inch AMOLED screen and "2.5D" glass cut over a "3D" cut for better drop resistance - but its latest report bases its updated prediction on iPhone 7's performance post-announcement.

Seemingly, the key factor in KGI's prediction is the Jet Black variant of the iPhone 7, which sports a slick glossy finish that accentuates Apple's trademark refined design.

KGI claims that the appealing Jet Black finish brought in preorders for the iPhone 7 en masse, but the phone's special sheen has a critical weakpoint: it scratches like there's no tomorrow.

Stay glassy, Apple

Despite Apple bragging about the nine levels of anodization and polishing it takes to get the Jet Black iPhone 7 to shine so brilliantly, the glossy finish isn't particularly scratch-resistant.

In fact, the variant highlights the slightest abrasion so much that the company actively suggests covering up their work in a case.

For this reason, KGI predicts Apple will learn its lesson and revive the sturdy glass back for its next design. The logic is doing so won't abandon fans of the Jet Black iPhone 7's shiny finish, but will be much more resistant to scratching (and possibly easier to mass produce) than the complicated process of glossing up aluminium.

The revival of the iPhone 4's glass back may not be the only callback. KGI's report also predicts that the design will use either a stainless steel or aluminum frame to appear more in line with "classic" iPhones than the current aesthetic.

In fact, demand for the Apple design days of old were already foretold last year, when Apple announced the iPhone SE - a smaller phone meant to bring in customers who might've balked at the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus' sanded-down look.

While we'd love the idea of a sturdy and pretty iPhone 8, the backing will likely be moot since we'll probably put it in a case anyway. We don't want to wind up cashing in that AppleCare warranty prematurely after one bad interaction with the sidewalk.

• These 10 cases protect AND charge up your iPhone

One of the biggest issues with the iPhone 7 is that you can't charge and listen to music at the same time, unless you're using wireless headphones. This problem has lead accessory makers to release expensive adapters to solve that problem.

If Belkin's $40 (£35, AU$60) Lightning Audio + Charge RockStar adapter is too expensive for you, then $10 (about £8, AU$13) iLDOCK adapter might be up your alley.

If you haven't heard of iLDOCK before, that's because it's a new company that's currently crowd funding its affordable iPhone 7 adapter on Kickstarter. The company will create two versions of its dock for different users. If you just want to charge and play music at the same time, the affordable iLDOCK will work great. If you want more features like a USB port and SD/microSD card reader, then the $20 (about £16, AU$26) iLDOCK plus is for you. Note that these are introductory prices, so snap them up at these low prices while you can.

The iLDOCK adapters look nice and come in a variety of colors to match the color of your iPhone. There are options for a silver, gold, rose gold and space gray finish. Each dock is made of aluminum and plastic, which blends in nicely with the iPhone's design. The adapters sit flush with the iPhone 7, making it more elegant than Belkin's adapter, which features a short Lightning cable. Do note that the flush design may interfere with thicker cases.

While the iLDOCK adapters look nice and are affordable, you have to take some risk by crowdfunding the project. There could be delays and post-purchase support can be difficult without a more established company.

The iPhone 7 has been a boon for the accessories industry. Expect to see a lot more adapters and cases designed to take advantage of the controversial removal of the 3.5mm headphone jack.