[anon(9710735)]

Priv (Venice) is the last phone carrying the brand of and manufactured by BlackBerry itself.

DTEK 50 (Neon), DTEK 60 (Argon), and KEYone (Mercury) [all having element code names by the way] are all BlackBerry branded manufactured by TCL phones.

The above three are no different from Aurora, which is BlackBerry branded but manufactured by BB Merah Putih.

So I would say the last phone entirely from BlackBerry is really the Priv.

Does that tempt you enough into buying the Priv? It's on sale now on shop.blackberry by the way. *winkwink* #ComeJoinTheClub

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[ilmizi]

I've been thinking about that recently)

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[vladi]

KEYone is the last designed BlackBerry phone. It's essentially reskinned Vienna. I'm not sure who reskinned it, was it Canadians or Chinese I don't know.

[naijab0y]

Priv (Venice) is the last phone carrying the brand of and manufactured by BlackBerry itself.

DTEK 50 (Neon), DTEK 60 (Argon), and KEYone (Mercury) [all having element code names by the way] are all BlackBerry branded manufactured by TCL phones.

The above three are no different from Aurora, which is BlackBerry branded but manufactured by BB Merah Putih.

So I would say the last phone entirely from BlackBerry is really the Priv.

Does that tempt you enough into buying the Priv? It's on sale now on shop.blackberry by the way. *winkwink* #ComeJoinTheClub

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Nah. The KEYone was designed in house so in my books that's the last BlackBerry. I'm getting that instead.

[TheBirdDog]

I really don't think it makes much difference. The DTEK pair of devices are certainly the least original devices but the KEYone screams "BlackBerry" just as much as - if not more than - the Priv. If you want to get technical, devices haven't been manufactured by BlackBerry for a long while now, including the Priv. As cool as it would be if every device said "Made in Canada" on the box...

BlackBerry Mobile seems to be pretty committed to living up to people's expectations with the hardware so whatever the legal deals and licensing that goes on behind the scenes doesn't really affect my opinion much. If it looks like a BlackBerry and functions like a BlackBerry, then it is a BlackBerry.

[Matty]

Does that tempt you enough into buying the Priv?

I got the Priv for a couple reasons. The first being the keyboard. While I don't mind using on screen keyboards, the qwerty ones are just superior in my opinion The second reason was for the curved QHD screen. It just looks stunning and is the highest PPI device Blackberry has made so far. Third was for the sliding mechanism. I used to own a Blackberry Torch and I just loved it so much. Lastly, it was for the Blackberry logo at the top. To some that logo is meaningless and some actually prefer it gone but I like to see it when I'm using my phone. Puts a smile on my face

[ikeike859]

My Priv says made in Mexico....thanks NAFTA. Lol

[Emaderton3]

Nah. The KEYone was designed in house so in my books that's the last BlackBerry. I'm getting that instead.

Yup, this.

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[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

There are some that say the 9900 was the last "true" BlackBerry....

But in the end the KEYone and Aurora are BlackBerries, because they have enough BlackBerry DNA (software) in them to make a claim to the throne.

[stlabrat]

not really. I believe Merc (keyone) got more BB inside in terms of design than Priv.. Mercury, the Last Phone Designed by BlackBerry, Wins Raves at CES | Inside BlackBerry
the blog is from VP Pini...

[mrfreeze]

Anything that passes approval with BlackBerry and runs software made by BlackBerry is still a BlackBerry in my book.

[Troy Tiscareno]

Priv (Venice) is the last phone carrying the brand of and manufactured by BlackBerry itself.

BB hasn't manufactured anything in years. Manufacturing has been outsourced for more than a decade, though BB did have a small, low-volume production facility in Waterloo, mostly for prototyping & development, but it was responsible for single-digit percentages of production at certain periods of time through 2013, when it was closed and sold.

Around 97-98% of BB10 phones were outsourced, and a similar number for BBOS phones after 2004.

[stlabrat]

BB hasn't manufactured anything in years.
Around 97-98% of BB10 phones were outsourced, and a similar number for BBOS phones after 2004.

not totally true. up to 2013 massive layoff, BB is still control full design, MFG material and process, including MFG. what you think those laid off 4,500 people were doing before? you really don't need that many in R&D or design, definitely not marketing (they kept software only, right?). 300 Waterloo-based employees lose jobs as BlackBerry layoffs begin | CTV Kitchener News

[Mirko935]

First, last, one of those in the middle, "true BlackBerry", "non-true BlackBerry"... If the device suits your needs and "wants", you buy it. Or is it not so simple?

NHF, I don't mean to be rude or anything, I just see it differently and find it hard to see what's the big deal about it. Unless the device becomes a collectible, then I'll be glad if Priv will be regarded as "the last true BlackBerry".

[fanisk]

I consider that Passport and Classic are the last devices of what we were used to know as BlackBerry .
Hardware designed and built by BlackBerry that run an OS also built from BlackBerry.

[Troy Tiscareno]

not totally true. up to 2013 massive layoff, BB is still control full design, MFG material and process, including MFG. what you think those laid off 4,500 people were doing before? you really don't need that many in R&D or design, definitely not marketing (they kept software only, right?). 300 Waterloo-based employees lose jobs as BlackBerry layoffs begin | CTV Kitchener News

Totally true. Jabil Circuit (headquartered in Florida but with operations worldwide) manufactured nearly every BB phone since the 9000 and even before. The Playbook was manufactured by Quanta Computer, a huge manufacturer that makes things for several large companies (most HP computers are made by Quanta, for example), and the reason that Amazon's Fire tablet and the Playbook look nearly identical is that they're both based on Quanta reference designs.

Yes, BB did the design work on the phones and specified the materials, but the manufacturing itself was almost completely outsourced - again, except for the small production line in Waterloo.

Oh, and once Jabil canceled their contract with BB in Oct of 2013, due to completing the Z30 run and having no further orders, BB contracted Wistron and Foxconn to make devices prior to their current deals with TCL (and the other recent licensees).

[curves2000]

Wasn't the Canadian company Sympatico also manufacturing devices for BlackBerry also??

I believe that BlackBerry was Sympatico's biggest customer for years until they cancelled their contract maybe in 2012 or 13 when things went downhill quick.

I have no basis for this but I have heard from people that the Canadian and Holland made BlackBerry devices were always of the best quality. Something about them just feeling a little tighter and more solid.

Anybody have any thoughts?

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[anon(9710967)]

My Priv says made in Mexico....thanks NAFTA. Lol

I feel you

[stlabrat]

what about their NPI? you don't count that as MFG? BB10 at 2013 is a new product. http://crackberry.com/rim-consolidating-manufacturing-shift-towards-blackberry-10%2Bresearch+in+motion+manufacture&client=safari& rls=en&hl=en&ct=clnk]Research In Motion consolidating manufacturing in the shift towards BlackBerry 10 | CrackBerry.com[/url]
I am sure you can dig out few resume from linked in that said in that time zone as "director or VP of MFG", MGR of NPI, etc. etc. ;-)

[Troy Tiscareno]

what about their NPI? you don't count that as MFG? BB10 at 2013 is a new product. I am sure you can dig out few resume from linked in that said in that time zone as "director or VP of MFG", MGR of NPI, etc. etc. ;-)

Here's a working link to your article:

Research In Motion consolidating manufacturing in the shift towards BlackBerry 10 | CrackBerry.com


The NPI was what I was referring to here:

again, except for the small production line in Waterloo.

The NPI was only responsible for a few percentage points of overall production, as the facility was primarily intended for just what its name states: New Product Introduction, meaning they developed and produced early prototypes and design variants, beta-test hardware, and so forth. Yes, the facility was also used to augment standard production during big rollouts, when every production line needed to be making phones to meet demand, but that was more the exception than the rule - again, as the name of the facility clearly indicates.

[stlabrat]

NPI and proto MFG are more improtant than most of you think. for example, it defined tooling, test fixture, assembly sequence - maximum temperature allowed for a processor for the duration of full assembly process (thermal history). that defined your DFX (design for manufacuring, design for reliability). one typical example, your solder pad design could be a bit large or small, your stencil (screen solder paste) opening wall finishing could effect the paste transfer, the thickness of solder paste possibly effect your reliability upon drop. The glue used some place determined if the unit is repairable or not, if open up is going to impact EMI or not. Get rid of the NPI and proto MFG, you basically cut off one of your design arm. and if it is NPI and proto for validaton of new product, that means you have full blow MFG, just in small compact scale... that is not small undertaking. TCL better have a wonderful team on NPI and dare to challenge the design deficiency and provide feed back, otherwise, waiting for nasty surprises.

[stlabrat]

https://www.thebranfordgroup.com/DNN3/Auction/BLAC0414.aspx%2Bwaterloo+blackberry+auction+smt+eq uipment&client=safari&rls=en&hl=en&ct=clnk]Online Auction of Former Assets of Blackberry[/url]

based on equipment list, it does not appear to be "small" production line to me. I rest my case.

[Ginowine]

Priv (Venice) is the last phone carrying the brand of and manufactured by BlackBerry itself.

DTEK 50 (Neon), DTEK 60 (Argon), and KEYone (Mercury) [all having element code names by the way] are all BlackBerry branded manufactured by TCL phones.

The above three are no different from Aurora, which is BlackBerry branded but manufactured by BB Merah Putih.

So I would say the last phone entirely from BlackBerry is really the Priv.

Does that tempt you enough into buying the Priv? It's on sale now on shop.blackberry by the way. *winkwink* #ComeJoinTheClub

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I agree.

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[Carjackd]

Sympatico is a subsidiary of Bell Media , BCE parent company. Sympatico.ca, Inc. owns and operates a network of Canadian Internet media properties. The company’s media properties comprise sympatico.ca that provides online content, communications, information, and e-commerce products and services, including Sympatico Search, Sympatico Webmail, Sympatico News, shopping services, virtual e-cards, and more.

They are a carrier in Canada , they are not a manufacturer

Wasn't the Canadian company Sympatico also manufacturing devices for BlackBerry also??

I believe that BlackBerry was Sympatico's biggest customer for years until they cancelled their contract maybe in 2012 or 13 when things went downhill quick.

I have no basis for this but I have heard from people that the Canadian and Holland made BlackBerry devices were always of the best quality. Something about them just feeling a little tighter and more solid.

Anybody have any thoughts?

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[Troy Tiscareno]

https://www.thebranfordgroup.com/DNN3/Auction/BLAC0414.aspx%2Bwaterloo+blackberry+auction+smt+eq uipment&client=safari&rls=en&hl=en&ct=clnk]Online Auction of Former Assets of Blackberry[/url]

based on equipment list, it does not appear to be "small" production line to me. I rest my case.

It was small based on output - as I said, that factory only manufactured a few percent of BB's total quarterly output when it was in operation.

No one is disputing the importance of such a factory and design/prototyping process - it's vital! But for actual production manufacturing (making the phones that normal people buy), NPI was small potatoes in terms of volume.