End of the road for the BlackBerry Priv: No more security updates for the handset

by Peter Kostadinov

Dec 15, 2017, 9:12 AM

End of the road for the BlackBerry Priv: No more security updates for the handset

The BlackBerry Priv will no longer receive monthly security updates as 24 months have passed since the device arrived on the shelves. In a lengthy blog post, BlackBerry's Alex Thurber explains that the company has successfully kept the device secure and up-to-date for the standard amount of time, but regular security patches will no longer be rolled out for the handset.

When we introduced our first Android device more than 24 months ago, we committed to delivering 2 years of monthly software updates for the PRIV. True to our word, we fulfilled this commitment though in truth, the PRIV's built-in security posture had little need for many of the updates we delivered in conjunction with partners such as Google and Qualcomm.

Having now stepped outside the original 2-year window, we will no longer be delivering monthly updates for the PRIV moving forward. That said, we continue to support our loyal users as follows:

First, we will of course fulfill all warranty obligations for the PRIV.

Second, as outlined above we believe our phones are inherently more secure because of the way they've been designed with security features from the inside out.

Third, should a critical vulnerability be exposed we will engage our partners as needed to develop and deliver necessary patches.

Fourth, we are thrilled to announce that with our partners at BlackBerry Mobile we will soon be introducing a trade-up program for current BlackBerry customers who are still using the PRIV as well as those holding onto BB10 and BBOS devices. Stay tuned for details and get ready to upgrade to a BlackBerry KEYone or Motion, the most secure Android smartphones on the planet.

As Priv owners certainly know, the phone never got updated to Android Nougat, but at least BlackBerry successfully kept the phone updated for the full 23 months of its existence. Luckily for users that are still holding onto their Privs and legacy BB10/BBOS devices, the soon-to-be announced trade-up program will allow them to get themselves a contemporary BlackBerry phone like the KEYone or the Motion.

BlackBerry Priv

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source: BlackBerry via CrackBerry

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13 Comments

1. Peacetoall unregistered

So that means blackberry 10 is officially dead. Time to sell my blackberry passport

posted on Dec 15, 2017, 9:22 AM 1

2. donnieroc unregistered

The article is on the BB Priv security patches (and no longer receiving them).....an Android phone, not about BB 10 phones. ????

posted on Dec 15, 2017, 10:03 AM 6

9. killer7D

Posts: 551; Member since: Sep 18, 2014

He has a point .. They said they will offer trade up for devices running BB 10 and BB OS as well.. Which means BB 10 will so be DEAD !

posted on Dec 15, 2017, 2:37 PM 2

3. Sammy_DEVIL737

Posts: 1529; Member since: Nov 28, 2016

Pls care to read the article.

posted on Dec 15, 2017, 11:11 AM 3

5. Venom

Posts: 3989; Member since: Dec 14, 2017

Blackberry Priv ran Around, not BlackBerry 10.

posted on Dec 15, 2017, 12:00 PM 2

4. xq10xa

Posts: 810; Member since: Dec 07, 2010

2 years already. Damn I am old.

posted on Dec 15, 2017, 11:25 AM 1

6. Venom

Not surprised. Updates for it has stalled. I think it's time to move on.

posted on Dec 15, 2017, 12:01 PM 0

7. meanestgenius

Posts: 22828; Member since: May 28, 2014

Had to happen sooner or later. While unfortunate for those still on PRIV, there is a trade in deal in the works, which is good news.

posted on Dec 15, 2017, 12:42 PM 5

8. Crispin_Gatieza

Posts: 3192; Member since: Jan 23, 2014

Better battery life and it would still be a killer phone. The camera is awesome even now.

posted on Dec 15, 2017, 1:34 PM 4

10. meanestgenius

Totally agree. Better battery and better SoC. The battery actually suffered because of the SoC. Had the SoC been better at power management, it would have gotten great battery life across the board, as opposed to hit or miss.

posted on Dec 15, 2017, 3:28 PM 4

11. MDCHO

Posts: 769; Member since: Jul 28, 2016

The Priv is now EOL. All Smartphone face this eventually. Is sad, but it is an eventuality.

posted on Dec 16, 2017, 6:06 AM 2

12. sgodsell

Posts: 7621; Member since: Mar 16, 2013

Battery life was really good on the priv. It had a 3410 mha battery for running a hexa core 808. Granted the SD 808 wasn't any beast, by any means, but it was good for battery life. However the SD 808 wasn't that fast to drive its large resolution AMOLED display of 2560x1440.