Blackberry is a Canadian smartphone brand that was once synonymous with smartphones, especially among business professionals and government officials. The company behind the brand, formerly known as Research in Motion (RIM), was founded in 1984 in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. It started as a developer of wireless communication devices, such as pagers and modems.
However, Blackberry soon faced fierce competition from Apple's iPhone and Android-based devices, which offered more advanced basic smartphone features. As of today, there are no new Blackberry devices available in the market. In this blogpost, we will discuss the history, fate, pros and cons of the Blackberry group of phones.
Blackberry group of phones: A review of the past and present
The first device to carry the Blackberry name was the Blackberry 850, an email pager, released in 1999. It was followed by several models of smartphones that featured physical QWERTY keyboards, trackballs or trackpads, and the proprietary Blackberry OS operating system.
Blackberry devices gained popularity for their secure and reliable email and messaging services, as well as their integration with enterprise and government networks. They also offered features such as web browsing, media playback, GPS navigation, and app store access. By 2011, Blackberry had more than 85 million subscribers worldwide and a 20% share of the global smartphone market.
However, Blackberry soon faced fierce competition from Apple's iPhone and Android-based devices, which offered more advanced touchscreen interfaces, app ecosystems, and multimedia capabilities. Blackberry's market share declined rapidly, as consumers and businesses switched to other platforms. By 2016, Blackberry had less than 1% of the global smartphone market and stopped making its own hardware.
In an attempt to revive its fortunes, Blackberry launched a new operating system called Blackberry 10 in 2013, which was based on the QNX platform acquired in 2010. Blackberry 10 offered a gesture-based interface, a unified inbox called Blackberry Hub, and the ability to run some Android apps. However, Blackberry 10 failed to attract enough developers and users to compete with iOS and Android.
In 2015, Blackberry released its first Android-based smartphone, the Blackberry Priv, which combined a touchscreen with a slide-out keyboard. It was followed by other Android models, such as the Blackberry KeyOne and Key2, which featured physical keyboards and security enhancements. However, these devices also failed to gain significant market share or profitability.
In 2016, Blackberry announced that it would stop designing its own smartphones and license its brand and software to other manufacturers. The first licensee was TCL Corporation, which created the Blackberry Mobile division to produce and sell Blackberry-branded devices worldwide (except for Indonesia, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal). Other licensees included BB Merah Putih for Indonesia and Optiemus Infracom for South Asia.
In 2020, TCL announced that it would end its partnership with Blackberry and stop making Blackberry devices after August 31st. The other licensees also ceased their operations shortly after. In the same year, Blackberry signed a new licensing agreement with OnwardMobility, a US-based startup company that planned to launch a new 5G-enabled Blackberry smartphone with a physical keyboard in 2021. However, the company never released any device before shutting down in 2022.
As of today, there are no new Blackberry devices available in the market. The existing ones are no longer supported by software updates or customer service. The company behind the brand has shifted its focus from smartphones to cybersecurity software and services for enterprises and governments. It also provides embedded systems for automotive and IoT applications.
Blackberry phones released within 2002 and 2018 are;
- 2002: BlackBerry 5810.
- 2003: BlackBerry 6210, BlackBerry and 7230.
- 2004: BlackBerry 7100t
- 2005: BlackBerry 8700
- 2006: BlackBerry Pearl 8100
- 2007: BlackBerry Curve 8300
- 2008: BlackBerry Bold 9000 and BlackBerry Storm 9500
- 2009: BlackBerry Tour 9630
- 2010: BlackBerry Torch 9800
- 2011: BlackBerry PlayBook
- 2013: BlackBerry Z10 and BlackBerry Q10
- 2014: BlackBerry Z3, BlackBerry Passport, BlackBerry Passport, BlackBerry Classic.
- 2015: BlackBerry Priv
- 2016: BlackBerry DTEK50 and BlackBerry DTEK60.
- 2017: BlackBerry KEYone and BlackBerry Motion
- 2018: BlackBerry KEY2, BlackBerry KEY2 LE, BlackBerry Evolve and BlackBerry Evolve X
Productivity: Blackberry phones are designed for business users who need to communicate efficiently and effectively. They offer features such as push email, instant messaging (BBM), unified inbox (Blackberry Hub), calendar integration, document editing (Docs To Go), and enterprise network access (BlackBerry Enterprise Service).
Keyboard: Many Blackberry users swear by the physical QWERTY keyboard that allows them to type faster and more accurately than on a touchscreen. The keyboard also offers shortcuts and gestures for quick navigation and actions.
Battery: Blackberry phones tend to have longer battery life than other smartphones due to their lower power consumption and optimization. Some models also have removable batteries that can be replaced or swapped easily.
Some of the cons of Blackberry phones are:
Apps: One of the biggest drawbacks of using a Blackberry phone is the lack of apps compared to iOS and Android platforms. The Blackberry app store (Blackberry World) has a limited selection of apps, many of which are outdated or poorly developed. Some Blackberry devices can run Android apps, but not all of them are compatible or perform well.
Design: Blackberry phones are often criticized for their outdated and bulky design. They have smaller screens than other smartphones, which limits the viewing experience and touch functionality. They also have less aesthetic appeal and variety than other brands.
Support: Blackberry phones have little or no support from the company or the carriers. They receive few or no software updates, bug fixes, or security patches. They also have limited customer service and warranty options. Users may face difficulties in finding accessories, parts, or repairs for their devices.
Availability: Blackberry phones are hard to find in the market, as most retailers and carriers have stopped selling them. Users may have to buy them online or from third-party sellers, which may involve higher costs, risks, or inconveniences.
Blackberry phones have a long and rich history in the smartphone industry. They were once the leaders and innovators in the field, offering secure and productive devices for business and government users. However, they failed to adapt to the changing consumer preferences and market trends, and lost their competitive edge to iOS and Android platforms. Today, Blackberry phones are no longer produced or supported by the company or the licensees, and have become obsolete and irrelevant for most users. However, some loyal fans still appreciate their unique features and benefits, such as security, productivity, keyboard, and battery life. Whether Blackberry phones will ever make a comeback or fade away completely remains to be seen.
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