For many, the Priv is the last throw of the hardware dice for BlackBerry; if it is not a success it is thought that the company will pull out of the hardware market. The Canadian giant has denied that repeatedly, but nevertheless the Android backed Priv seems to be a handset that will define whether BlackBerry has a future in hardware. With that in mind we imagine CEO John Chen and co will be delighted that the handset has already sold out on Amazon.

The U.S. online retail giant put the Priv on sale for $699.99 early yesterday and by the end of the day the flagship had sold out. Of course other retailers are also selling the Priv, while the sliding device is also available exclusively on AT&T, but still selling out on Amazon is good news.

The obvious question is how many handsets were available on Amazon in the first place? No specific figures have been offered by BlackBerry of the retailer, but any number is excellent for the company. It is important to remember that the company has been selling virtually no smartphones, so any kind of buzz is something to be happy about. Whether the device will become a bona fide success in terms of rival handsets is unclear, but BlackBerry probably has the biggest hit it has had in years on its hands.

SOURCE: MobileBurn