Blackberry (BBRY) Kills Off Its Classic Smartphone, Stock Down 3%
On Tuesday, shares of smartphone maker BlackBerry Ltd. BBRY are falling, down over 3% in afternoon trading after the company announced it will discontinue the BlackBerry Classic, an iconic cell phone that was a popular choice among consumers before the touchscreen smartphone, and known for its iconic QWERTY keyboard.
Ralph Pini, Blackberry’s chief operating officer and general manager for devices, said in a blog post that “To keep innovating and advancing our portfolio, we are updating our smartphone lineup with state of the art devices. As part of this, and after many successful years in the market, we will no longer manufacture BlackBerry Classic.”
The Classic “has been an incredible workhorse device for customers, exceeding all expectations,” Pini continued. “But, [it] 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 smartphone.”
Classic owners should make sure to check with their carriers for device availability, or they can also purchase unlocked versions of Classic online while supplies last.
BlackBerry’s decision to stop producing the Classic smartphone has been a long time coming. In recent years, many businesses and consumers have ditched the BlackBerry in favor of Apple Inc.’s AAPL iPhone and Alphabet Inc.’s GOOGL Android-powered touchscreen smartphones. And just last week, Politico reported that the U.S. Senate will no longer issue BlackBerry devices to staffers.
BBRY stock is down nearly 30% this year, and currently sits at a #3 (Hold) on the Zacks Rank.
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >>
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
APPLE INC (AAPL): Free Stock Analysis Report
ALPHABET INC-A (GOOGL): Free Stock Analysis Report
BLACKBERRY LTD (BBRY): Free Stock Analysis Report
To read this article on Zacks.com click here.
Zacks Investment Research
