Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

BlackBerry really wants you to buy the Priv, knocks $50 off price

BlackBery Priv
Ted Kritsonis/Digital Trends
In December, about six weeks after the launch of BlackBerry’s very first Android phone, CEO John Chen said sales of the device – the Priv – had been “quite positive.” It didn’t seem like a particularly encouraging statement, and sounded even hollower when we learned that the company’s overall handset sales during that quarter fell way short of some analysts’ forecasts. Eyebrows edged even further up the forehead when BlackBerry declined to give specific sales numbers for the Priv.

This week the company announced its high-end Android handset is getting a price cut, fueling further speculation that the Priv isn’t selling as well as the company hoped it would.

The phone, complete with its iconic keyboard, which in the Priv’s case slides in and out of view, will now cost $649 in the U.S., marking a $50 discount.

U.K. consumers see the price drop from £569.99 to £529.99, while interested buyers in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the Netherlands can nab it for €729, down from €779. Interestingly, the Canadian company has chosen not to discount the phone in its home country, where it remains at CAD$899.

Currently available in 34 countries around the world, BlackBerry has been adopting various tactics in a bid to whip up some interest in its debut Android device. In February, for example, it launched a $700 bundle that besides the phone included a black leather Smart Flip Case featuring a small window for viewing notifications and carrying out calls with the cover closed, and a Sync Pod that acts not only as a charging dock but also as a device for data transfer between the Priv and a computer. That deal’s finished, although a separate offer running for a few more days this month has the same items discounted by up to 30 percent.

BlackBerry’s decision to launch its first ever Android phone was essentially a last-ditch bid to rescue its handset business after years of declining sales in the wake of stiff competition from the iPhone and Android devices.

Chen, who’s been steering the ship since taking over from Thorsten Heins in November 2013, has been busy refocusing the business toward software and services, though it may push out a couple more Android smartphones before the end of the year.

However, financial figures released by the company last week showed further decline in hardware revenue, prompting Chen to suggest that if its phone business doesn’t turn a profit by September, he’ll have to seriously consider exiting the sector to save the rest of the company.

Editors' Recommendations

Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
BlackBerry will provide cybersecurity for future Jaguar Land Rover vehicles
jaguar land rover and blackberry expand tech partnership

In 2018, Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) and BlackBerry announced a partnership that would see BlackBerry tech used in future JLR vehicles. The original scope of the partnership included a next-generation infotainment system, but now the two companies have expanded it to include other new tech.

A BlackBerry press release said the company would provide JLR with artificial intelligence (A.I.) and machine-learning tech for future vehicles. BlackBerry was light on details about how this tech would be used, only noting that "predictive software maintenance" and "cybersecurity threat protection" were among the possible applications.

Read more
BlackBerry Key2 LE: Everything you need to know
The BlackBerry Key2 LE is back home at Verizon, but only for business types
BlackBerry Key2 LE Hands On

The BlackBerry Key LE is a lower-cost version of the Key2, doing away with some of the more high-tech features seen on the expensive sister phone, and cutting costs by using different materials for the body, to create a more affordable but still distinctly BlackBerry smartphone.

You can check out our Key2 LE review to learn more about what it's like to live with the phone, but in the meantime, here are all the technical specs, details, and availability options.
Updates
The BlackBerry Key2 LE is available to buy at Verizon, but only to business and enterprise customers, according to reports. Verizon's selling the Key2 LE for $450 without a contract, or for $100 if you sign up for a two-year plan. The phone does not show up on Verizon's non-business store, so there does not seem to be the option to buy the phone for this price without a business plan.

Read more
BlackBerry Key2: Everything you need to know
The dramatic BlackBerry Key2 Red Edition is now available in the U.S.
blackberry keytwo news and rumors key2 red main

Blackberry is always at the top of its game when it sticks to what it knows best -- security-focused phones with QWERTY keyboards. The Blackberry KeyOne was a return to form for the company, and its successor has improved upon it in every way. Here's everything you need to know about the BlackBerry Key2.
Updates
The BlackBerry Key2 Red Edition is now available

Previous

Read more