BlackBerry to kill Classic smartphone after just two years
by The Canadian Press
BlackBerry has faced calls to stop making cellphones and focus on software, but CEO john Chen says he is committed to hardware
BlackBerry corporate headquarters in Waterloo, Ont. PHOTO BlackBerry
Ralph Pini, the company’s chief operating officer and general manager for devices, said July 5 that the Classic has long surpassed the average lifespan for a smartphone in today’s market.
Pini says that the Waterloo, Ont-based firm will now focus on updating its smartphone lineup.
The BlackBerry Classic hit the market in December 2014, offering customers a 3.5-inch (88.9-millimeter) screen, which was 60 per cent larger than the previous Bold 9900, longer battery life and a standard keyboard and touch screen.
BlackBerry has faced calls to stop making cellphones in favour of focusing on its burgeoning software business, but CEO John Chen recently reaffirmed his commitment to stay in the hardware market.
