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Business News/ Mint-lounge / Features/  BlackBerry Classic exits: Transition between two eras
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BlackBerry Classic exits: Transition between two eras

The lovable BlackBerry Classic smartphone stops production; this could indicate a delayed but much needed realigning of efforts

Launched in the summer of 2014, the BlackBerry Classic was one of the few remaining phones in the BlackBerry line-up which featured a physical QWERTY keyboard.Premium
Launched in the summer of 2014, the BlackBerry Classic was one of the few remaining phones in the BlackBerry line-up which featured a physical QWERTY keyboard.

Things are not looking rosy for the beleaguered smartphone maker BlackBerry. The company has announced that it is now stopping the production of the Classic smartphone. In a statement, Ralph Pini, chief operating officer and general manager for devices, said, “For many years, Classic (and its BBOS predecessors) has been in our portfolio. It has been an incredible workhorse device for customers, exceeding all expectations. But, the Classic has long surpassed the average lifespan for a smartphone in today’s market. We are ready for this change so we can give our customers something better—entrenched in our legacy in security and pedigree in making the most productive smartphones."

Launched in the summer of 2014, the BlackBerry Classic was one of the few remaining phones in the BlackBerry line-up which featured a physical QWERTY keyboard. It was, at its time, the logical successor to the Bold series of smartphones which had run its course by then.

BlackBerry is taking pains to emphasise that it will continue to actively support the BlackBerry 10 operating system with software updates, and are on track to deliver version 10.3.3 next month with a second update to follow next year. This means that phones such as the Passport and the Leap will continue to get newer software, at least in the near future.

BB10: Started on the wrong foot

One of the reasons for BlackBerry’s continued struggles is the fact that it alienated a lot of users with the initial BlackBerry 10 phones, such as the Z10 and the Z30, which were touchscreen only—the Q10 had a QWERTY keyboard, but didn’t really catch on. Most users, who were forced to shift to touchscreen phones, went for Android smartphones or the Apple iPhone. The loss of traction with BB10 began because of a paradigm shift in the hardware as well as the fact that the range of apps was nowhere close to Android and iOS, both of which upset the applecart. It was then that many big businesses also shifted away from BlackBerry.

But the precipitating action was perhaps taken after the US Senate decided earlier this month that they will no longer be issuing BlackBerry phones to staffers. According to the senate’s guidelines, staffers can now choose between the Apple iPhone SE and the Samsung Galaxy S6.

Also read: BlackBerry Messenger: It may still not be too late in the IM race

Time for a fresh start

While the reports of BlackBerry’s demise, over the past few years, have been greatly exaggerated, the latest move may actually put the brand in a stronger position overall. Its software products are stronger than ever before. In the first quarter this year, the software and services division raked in $166 million, which is a 21% jump over the same period last year. This surpassed its smartphone division’s numbers, which recorded $152 million in sales, which is a 44% drop compared to 2015.

With the Priv smartphone launched earlier this year, BlackBerry dabbled with the popular Android operating system. And it is expected that they will be launching three more Android phones over the next few quarters—one of which is expected to also have a physical QWERTY keyboard. This would allow it to target different price brackets, and eventually relegate the BB10 platform to the background. The reality within the Android ecosystem is that there really is no one brand that has run away with a large chunk of the market share, and it is that sort of fragmentation which BlackBerry can take advantage of.

The remaining soldiers

If you are looking to upgrade from your existing BlackBerry phone, and had been eyeing the rather likeable Classic, your choice just became a bit harder. There really is no like-for-like replacement, but here’s how the remaining phones stack up now.

BlackBerry Priv

Rs58,990

This is BlackBerry’s first Android phone, and seems to be doing most things perfectly in terms of design, performance and data security aspects. The additional security features make this very relevant for corporates, who were otherwise apprehensive about Android’s slightly lackadaisical approach to data security. While it is largely a touchscreen phone, there is a slide-out QWERTY keyboard. However, the only stumble is the rather high price tag, which is currently higher than even the newer Android flagship phones. Buy this if you are adamant about buying a BlackBerry phone, as this is perhaps the best bet at the moment till the next wave of Android phones arrive.

Read more: BlackBerry Priv: If you can’t beat them, join them

BlackBerry Passport

Rs29,990

Earlier this week, the Passport got a huge price cut, which saw 20,000 slashed off the sticker price. This is a rather unconventional smartphone, with a squarish design. But what you get is a fantastic 4.5-inch display, a physical QWERTY keyboard, a rather competent 13-megapixel camera and the BlackBerry 10 software.

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Published: 06 Jul 2016, 11:46 AM IST
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