The BlackBerry Classic’s time is coming to an end.
BlackBerry announced today that it is no longer manufacturing the Classic. BlackBerry COO Ralph Pini explained the decision by saying that, while the Classic has “exceeded all expectations,” the device has “long surpassed the average lifespan for a smartphone in today’s market.” The Classic made its official debut in December 2014.
Pini also said that ending the Classic’s manufacturing run will enable BlackBerry to “give our customers something better — entrenched in our legacy in security and pedigree in making the most productive smartphones.”
This news doesn’t mean that the Classic will immediately disappear from store shelves. In fact, you can still buy an unlocked model from BlackBerry for $379, and AT&T is still offering the Classic in its online shop.
Pini also notes that BlackBerry is still hard at work on its BlackBerry 10 operating system, too. With the launch of the Android-powered Priv, rumors of three more Android devices in the works, and no new BB10 hardware in sight, some have speculated that BlackBerry may be abandoning its BB10 OS. Pini says that BlackBerry “continue to actively support BlackBerry 10 with software updates” and that an update to BlackBerry 10.3.3 is coming in August. Another BB10 update is scheduled to arrive in 2017.
If you'd like to commemorate the end of the BlackBerry Classic's manufacturing run, you can watch our video review of the device right here.