BlackBerry's still got some fight in it yet: The beleaguered phone manufacturer's latest smartphone is selling well enough to crow about, though it's nowhere near the numbers being dropped by Apple and Samsung. The company said 200,000 BlackBerry Passports have been sold since the phone's launch on Wednesday. The Passport was a risky device, with its square-ish form factor, touch-sensitive hard keyboard and lack of major carrier support — there was no guarantee it would be hit and a distinct possibility it could fail. But people seem to be lapping it up, and BlackBerry's fiercely loyal core users likely appreciate the innovative and unique design. The company is working on transforming itself into a profitable one with a new focus on software and services; its recently announced financials show it moving towards profitability, and a little success on the device front can only help. Its next launch should be the much-leaked BlackBerry classic, a more familiar shape that may appeal to less adventurous users.
IN-DEPTH
- BlackBerry Passport Launches with Square Screen and Keyboard
- BlackBerry CEO: Reports of Our Phones' Death Are Greatly Exaggerated
- Back to Basics: Can Trackpads and Keyboards Save BlackBerry?