If you were hoping for a new BlackBerry device in 2016 you’re out of luck. The manufacturer has officially axed its smartphone business and will no longer produce hardware. BlackBerry announced its plans Wednesday, alongside its second quarter financial results , in which they reported an $8 million loss. The manufacturer sold only 400,000 devices between April and June, down from 500,000 devices in the quarter prior.
“The company plans to end all internal hardware development and will outsource that function to partners,” BlackBerry CEO John Chen said in a statement . “This allows us to reduce capital requirements and enhance return on invested capital.”
However, all is not lost for BlackBerry. The company plans to focus on its services, which they still license to other Android manufacturers. Consumers can find software and services including BlackBerry Messenger and BlackBerry’s security suites on many Android devices. BlackBerry has been known more as a services company rather than a hardware manufacturer for some time.
BlackBerry’s latest smartphones include the BlackBerry Passport and the BlackBerry Priv. There are rumors that the company will still launch at least two smartphones under the BlackBerry brand, the hardware will just be manufactured by a third party.
