Will Google get rid of PageRank?

It seems more and more likely that Google may actually do away with the PageRank (PR) system since many web******* abuse it by purchasing high pr links. Think about how hard it would be to sell links on websites if people did't know what PR they are. Ultimately it would make Googles search algorithm more precise in my opinion. Since there has not been an update to PR in over 4 months this could be the way things are headed. PR may still be a factor, however maybe Google will keep the PR of each site private.

Any opinions?