Sad news for smartphone users who use these phones

 

End of an era: Classic BlackBerry phones to stop working on January 4

BlackBerry will stop supporting its devices that are not on the Android Software

As such, BlackBerry 10, 7.1 OS, and earlier versions will stop working as the company exits the smartphone market

The company says it will focus on providing security software and services to enterprises and governments under its BlackBerry Limited franchise, an area it had been gaining fame for

Starting January 4, 2022, BlackBerry will stop running support for devices that are not on the Android Software.

The firm, which was once a smartphone giant, said its BlackBerry 10, 7.1 OS, and its earlier versions of phones will stop working, amid plans of exiting the phone business entirely.

This, therefore, means that users cannot use data on their phones, nor will they be able to send text messages.

Russia Fines Google over KSh 11b for Failing to Delete Content it Deemed Illegal The users also cannot browse the internet, nor can they make phone calls.

CNN reported the move paves the way for it to focus on providing security software and services to enterprises and governments under its BlackBerry Limited franchise, an area for which it had been gaining fame.

According to the publication, plans of exiting the smartphone market have been in motion since September 2020, when the company first announced it was discontinuing support for the old phones.

It further reveals that the company has been out of the mobile phone business since 2016 but continued to license its brand to phone manufacturers, among them TCL and OnwardMobility for a 5G Blackberry device running on the Android software.

Reputation for great security

At the height of its popularity in the late 1990s and early 2000s, BlackBerry phones were a status symbol and fixture.

What happened to The Timepiece Gentleman? Here's what you should know CNN reported that people on Wall Street, celebrities like Kim Kardashian, and even President Barack Obama were the brand’s loyal consumers, owing to its excellent reputation for security.

Apart from security, the phones were top-rated among professionals who loved its keyboard as they made working outside the office quickly.

In 2012, BlackBerry had more than 80 million active users at its peak. It popularized BlackBerry Messenger, an encrypted text messaging platform that predated WhatsApp.

Apple ate its market

However, the advent of Apple’s iPhone in 2007 stole BlackBerry’s thunder, making it almost too difficult to keep up.