The Canadian phone manufacturer, BlackBerry Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY), is digging up its arsenal to compete against the increasing competition from touchscreen peers including Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL). With the launch of latest BlackBerry “Classic,” the smartphone manufacturer is returning to its area of expertise instead of competing directly with its touch screen rivals.
The new device, Classic, shares the looks of its legacy device “Bold” with faster browsing experience, improved battery life, bigger screen, and carrier support. The CEO of BlackBerry Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY), John Chen, said,
“The conversation about BlackBerry has changed in the last year. We are here to stay, there is no question about that. Now we have to engineer our growth.”
BlackBerry gathered many supporters including Steven J. Hodges, Northeast region president of AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T), who said,
“We know our customers see a lot of value in BlackBerry, and really love your products. I’ve been a long-term BlackBerry fan. [The Classic] really met what I was looking for…keyboard, big screen, and the application pool is deep.”
The users can buy “Classic” devices from Amazon.com or BlackBerry’s official website. In the U.S. both AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) and Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) will sell the latest device from BlackBerry.
However, the market is not positive about the latest gadget from BlackBerry Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) and analysts are treating it as the last resort for the smartphone maker. Lawrence Lundy, Frost & Sullivan, said,
“The fact that U.S. carriers won’t stock the Classic until the new year is a further sign that BlackBerry holds no power in the market anymore.”
The smartphone company is trying to win back its corporate customers with other rivals targeting the same segment. BlackBerry Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY)’s Classic would be available for $449 (unlocked) in the U.S. with a price tag strategically lower than iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus from Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL).
This article has been written by Prakash Pandey.
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