Vote of confidence for BlackBerry as partner orders 1 million BB10 phones

BlackBerry said one of its 'established partners' is buying 1 million BlackBerry 10 phones, the biggest order in the company's history.

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BlackBerry, the Canadian smartphone maker that rolled out a new lineup in January, said one of its "established partners" is buying 1 million BlackBerry 10 phones, the biggest order in the company's history.

"An order for 1 million devices is a tremendous vote of confidence in BlackBerry 10," Rick Costanzo, the executive vice president of global sales for company, said yesterday in a statement. "Consumers are ready for a new user experience, and BlackBerry 10 delivers. With strong partner support, coupled with this truly re-invented new platform, we have a powerful recipe for success."

Krista Seggewiss, a spokeswoman for BlackBerry, declined to say who the buyer was or define what the company meant by an "established partner." BlackBerry works with corporate customers and government agencies, as well as all of the largest carriers in the US, its biggest single market.

Verizon Wireless, the biggest mobile service in the US, didn't immediately return a call seeking comment on whether it was involved in the transaction. AT&T and Sprint Nextel, the country's number 2 and number 3 wireless providers, declined to comment.

BlackBerry, formerly known as Research In Motion, unveiled the BB10 lineup in January. The new phones, which run a redesigned operating system, are the linchpin of its comeback strategy. After pioneering the smartphone market, the company's global share slipped to single digits in recent years amid competition from Apple's iPhone and Google's Android.

* Bloomberg News