Here's a look at the fingerprint sensor in action, along with some backstory that goes behind the design.

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Something we debated and studied was where to put the fingerprint sensor.

Do we put it on the Prompt Key (on the right hand side)?

Should it go on the power button (like most Android phones)? And where should the power button even go in the first place?

Ultimately, we decided to do things differently. And for good reason.

We wanted the Prompt Key and Signal Light to stand alone on the right hand side and become a focal point of the design given how central they are to the communication-centric experience.

We also didn't want interacting with the prompt key (for speech to text, or clearing Signal Light notifications) to trigger any accidental fingerprint activations.

Plus, the size of Communicator allowed us to move the power/lock button to the top because it is easy to reach with your index finger (kind of like the BlackBerry Bold).

I digress...

Placing the fingerprint sensor on the space bar came down to speed, efficiency and ergonomics.

From its resting point on the chin, your thumb only has to move a few millimetres to rest on the space bar and activate the fingerprint sensor. And you don't have to change your hand orientation on the phone at all.

No wasted movement.

It's a concept that's resonated with me since we moved away from the track wheel on the BlackBerry 7200/8700/7100 series and towards the track ball.

I remember sitting down with one of the engineers at the time and asking 'why would we do this? people love the track wheel...me included!."

They explained that on the track wheel Berries, you had two distinct hand positions. A navigating position (when your thumb rested on the track wheel), and a typing position (when your thumbs are on the keys). While small, that micro adjustment costs time, and energy that gets multiplied across hundreds of repetitions each day.

In daily use, I'm amazed at just how fast it is to pick up Communicator, wake, unlock and be on the home screen looking at the message that just came in, all in one fluid motion.

When we say 'designed to respect your time', these are the kind of details we're obsessing over.

*worth noting: this is still pre-production hardware, so the fingerprint sensor you see in the video isn't final. This one is a bit askew, and not yet as flush as we expect it to be.