BlackBerry is not giving up on its fight as it announced to launch a new model of its flagship keyboard smartphones in the next six months.
Last week, a previously popular BlackBerry has announced that it's finally abandoning its hardware production wing and instead, would focus on creating software. The announcement came amid rumors that the tech firm is finally calling it quits, a news that shook the BlackBerry loyalists across the world.
But Alex Thunder, one of BlackBerry's top executives, said the company is not totally abandoning its trademark keyboard smartphones in one of his interviews with the BBC.
He, however, confirmed that the company would stop its in-house hardware development. This means, just like its tight competitor--Apple, would use third-party manufacturers.
The Blackberry vice president for global device sales, said the demand for their distinctive QWERTY smartphone, which by the way became the company's trademark during its glory years, remained high. Hence, the company vowed to continue providing the market with its quality and once popular smartphones.
"There will still be a keyboard-based BlackBerry device, designed and distributed within the next six months. I think there's a demand for keyboard phones. As we've been showing mockups of what we've been working on, to our carrier and distributor partners, they are very excited about this," Thurber told the BBC.
Thunder's statement came after BlackBerry's CEO John Chen issued a rather vague statement whether the company would carry on in its hardware production, the CBC reported.
BlackBerry suffered a major blow in its devices sales in the past years as its leading competitors-Apple and Samsung-have eaten much of its market share. Last year, Chen said the company is ready to revive its once glorified smartphones that famous celebrities and popular individuals love using, including no less than U.S President Barack Obama.
