BlackBerry might throw in the towel on handsets in a year

BlackBerry CEO John Chen has admitted the smartphone pioneer may stop making hardware if it cannot turn a profit on mobile devices.

Speaking at the Code Mobile conference, Chen would only commit to one more year of backing the BB10 OS with standalone devices

“For the next year at least I need to,” said Chen who plans to incorporate BB10’s security features into Android.

“I think the market wants security,” he said when speaking of why a BlackBerry phone would still be appealing to US consumers and enterprise users.

The company recently launched the Priv phone, running Android, in the hope that added BlackBerry security tools combined with the might of Google’s apps and Play Store, could lure consumers back.

The Frankenstein’s Monster-esque handset, which features a slide out physical keyboard alongside a 5.4-inch touchscreen, will go on sale later this year.

See also: Watch Chen’s awkward hands-on with the Priv

Do you think BlackBerry handsets should go quietly into the night and the firm should focus on bringing its expertise to shore-up Android?

Or are you still holding onto the dream that the Waterloo-based firm can rediscover the old magic and lead us to the secure smartphone promise land with its very own handset?

Share your thoughts below.