BlackBerry's New Phone 'Classic' Is a Throwback to Its Heyday Will today's smartphone shoppers -- ever in pursuit of the next big thing -- be enticed by a product harkening back to the primitive devices of yore? BlackBerry hopes so.
By Geoff Weiss
Opinions expressed by BIZ Experiences contributors are their own.
In a hyperactive smartphone market, where displays are being projected onto wrists, modular models are all the rage and manufacturers are developing cutting-edge curved screens, BlackBerry is going back to basics with its latest offering.
Today, the company launched its previously announced BlackBerry Classic -- a throwback to past models -- that also boasts a faster browser, a 3.5-inch touchscreen, 50 percent longer battery life and more apps, BlackBerry said. It is priced at $449 without a contract and ships today.
With its physical QWERTY keyboard and familiar shape (unlike last September's idiosyncratically squared Passport) the Classic harkens back to the beloved BlackBerry Bolds and Curves of yore.
Related: BlackBerry to Pay iPhone Users Up to $550 to Switch Phones
And while Kim Kardashian, who hoards discontinued Bolds on eBay, is likely rejoicing in the news, it remains to be seen whether today's smartphone shoppers, ever in pursuit of the next big thing, will be similarly enticed by the throwback-looking device.
BlackBerry also announced two new bundles for business clients, reiterating its rallying cry as a driver of corporate productivity.
The Secure Productivity bundle, priced at $6 per month, "protects mission-critical business data while offering employees seamless access to company information," BlackBerry said in a press release. The Enterprise Communicator bundle, priced at $12 per month, extends secure communications to iOS and Android devices.
Related: BlackBerry CEO: Don't Be Tempted By Trendy, Popular Phones. Buy Ours Instead.
