BlackBerry has already bit the dust in the smartphone market and lost its appeal as even its devoted fans today are perhaps using an iPhone or Android phone. However, as some people may be using a BlackBerry phone, the Canadian company reiterated that its devices they will no longer be able to support legacy services via cellular and Wi-Fi connectivity starting next week.
The company initially announced the move in September last year, but has extended its service as “Expression of thanks” to its loyal customers and partners. In particular, the status update is not applicable to BlackBerry phones based on the Android operating system.
As of January 4, devices based on BlackBerry 7.1 OS and earlier versions, BlackBerry 10 software, BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.1 and earlier versions, will no longer be able to “Work reliably”, the company said in one updated note on his website.
This means that there will be no guarantee that BlackBerry phones over cellular or Wi-Fi connectivity will be able to allow access to data, make phone calls, send text messages, and even the functionality of emergency numbers.
BlackBerry had already lost ground in the early 2010s.
The Waterloo, Ontario-based company tried to reclaim the attraction. In 2013, it brought BlackBerry 10 as a replacement for the old BlackBerry OS to attract Android and iOS users. The company finally switched to Android in 2015 and brought the BlackBerry Priv as a new slider phone to face the flagships of Apple and Samsung. All of this, however, did not help her achieve any success.
In 2016, BlackBerry finally brought in licensing partners including TCL Communication for global markets and Optiemus Infracom in India to maintain their brand with third-party devices. Licensing partners have introduced models including BlackBerry KeyOne and Key2.
However, TCL announced in February 2020 that it would no longer be making BlackBerry phones. Other licensees of the brand have also kept silent since October 2018, following the launch of the BlackBerry Key2 LE, the latest phone brought under the brand. Texas startup OnwardMobility in 2020 teased the launch of a BlackBerry 5G phone in 2021, however, that model hasn’t surfaced yet.
Ditching legacy services from BlackBerry phones doesn’t mean the BlackBerry brand is dead entirely. The society is currently engaged in software development and security services for various companies and governments around the world. BlackBerry as a company even beat Wall Street estimates for its third quarter revenue last week and posted a net profit of $ 74 million. This was significant compared to a loss of $ 130 million a year earlier.
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