Iconic cellphone firm BlackBerry has mentioned that it will not be rolling out final yr’s Android Nougat software program replace to the BlackBerry Priv smartphone in a blow to the purchasers and to its personal picture, because it more and more tries to place itself as a safety options supplier.

Within the latest episode of UTB Blogcast podcast, Alex Thurber, the overall supervisor of Mobility Options at BlackBerry shared the replace, including that it will not be doable for the corporate to have all its companions play alongside in pushing the Android Nougat software program replace to the BlackBerry Priv smartphone.

The BlackBerry Priv, which was launched in 2015 and shipped with Android 5.1.1 Lollipop software program, was firm’s first Android smartphone. Even because the smartphone managed to receive cheerful praises from critics, it could not make a giant dent within the smartphone market, which continues to be dominated by Samsung’s smartphones and Apple’s iPhone fashions.

In BlackBerry’s defence, nonetheless, it’s not doing something unsurprising. A dedication to launch software program updates to as much as 18 months since a cellphone’s debut available in the market has turn out to be an business norm – no less than amongst Android smartphone makers. In distinction, Apple has rolled out new iOS software program updates to even 4 to 5 yr outdated gadgets.

However BlackBerry, which licenses its safety options to a number of firms, might have nonetheless put efforts to push the replace, and use this function as a novel promoting level, particularly because the BlackBerry Priv is a flagship smartphone. Since 2015, BlackBerry has launched a number of extra smartphones, together with the BlackBerry DTEK50 and DTEK 60 smartphones final yr, and the BlackBerry KEYone, and Aurora smartphones this yr.

A number of prime Android smartphones will begin receiving Android Oreo, the newest model of Google’s cell working system later this yr.