The BlackBerry Classic will launch on Verizon Wireless this Thursday, February 26th. You'll be able to buy its "familiar design and iconic keyboard" — two things BlackBerry has really found itself clinging to — for $99.99 on contract. First up are online orders; in-store availability will come a bit later on March 5th.
"QWERTY fans, this is for you," the company wrote in a blog post today. And sure, many of Verizon's customers have memories of their BlackBerry Bold days. Perhaps there are even a few business customer holdouts who never left. But will other consumers be willing to trade their iPhone or Android device for a richer typing experience? Will they give up the App Store or Google Play for the oddball, combined BlackBerry / Amazon Appstore ecosystem that the Classic offers? BlackBerry 10 has its own unique strengths, but you've got to really love physical keys to pick this over other smartphone flagships — even if it's going on-contract rate is $100 cheaper than the competition.