The Blackberry Priv, which marks that company's first foray into the Android market, could be the last hardware product released by the Canadian developer, according to CBC News. With a struggling hardware division that has suffered a long line of flops in recent years, the Priv is the company's last-ditch attempt to create a product that can bring it back to profitability.
"BlackBerry's handset business rides on the success or failure of the Priv," said Carmi Levy, a technology analyst. "If this device doesn't turn the sales tide around, expect a quick decision in the new year."
If the Priv fails like Blackberry's recent products, the company will likely downsize its staff and focus attention on its software licensing and services division.
"We're doing everything we can to make hardware a profitable business, of which meeting our business case objectives for Priv is a very important part," said Marty Beard, chief operating officer of Blackberry. "We have a down-to-the-penny view on what we need to achieve with Priv and we're very focused on that."
The Blackberry Priv is set to be released on Nov. 6 on AT&T and is priced at $250 on contract, according to BGR. It will run on Android's Lollipop OS and features a design that utilizes a physical slide-out keyboard, according to Engadget.
