The end of an era: BlackBerry smartphones will be no more
BlackBerry phones were once every businessman’s portable office. Know for their physical qwerty keyboard, they were handy for typing emails on the go, something other phones were really bad at back then. With the rise of iPhones and Android phones, however, BlackBerry took a tumble and was almost forgotten.
That was until the Chinese company TCL Communication got the rights for the brand and revived it. The new phones were a mix between Android and BlackBerry’s DNA: improved security features and a software suite meant for professionals. With the business world mostly entrenched deep into Apple’s ecosystem, however, the new phones failed to make an impact.
It’s not surprising then that today, BlackBerry Mobile’s official Twitter account announced the end of the BlackBerry TCL era. In the provided statement, we’re informed that TCL Communication’s rights over the BlackBerry brand will expire on August 31, 2020, and after that date, the company will no longer sell the devices carrying that name.
Those of you that own BlackBerry smartphones shouldn’t be worried, however. TCL will continue to provide customer and warranty service until August 31, 2022 (or later if required by local laws).
We’re sure there are dedicated fans of the brand that will be sad to hear this news. For them, the hope remains that another manufacturer will license the name and revive the BlackBerry brand once again. If we have to be realistic, however, the chances of that happening are slim to none.
- Check out our best blackberry phones list
That was until the Chinese company TCL Communication got the rights for the brand and revived it. The new phones were a mix between Android and BlackBerry’s DNA: improved security features and a software suite meant for professionals. With the business world mostly entrenched deep into Apple’s ecosystem, however, the new phones failed to make an impact.
It’s not surprising then that today, BlackBerry Mobile’s official Twitter account announced the end of the BlackBerry TCL era. In the provided statement, we’re informed that TCL Communication’s rights over the BlackBerry brand will expire on August 31, 2020, and after that date, the company will no longer sell the devices carrying that name.
— BlackBerry Mobile (@BBMobile) February 3, 2020
Those of you that own BlackBerry smartphones shouldn’t be worried, however. TCL will continue to provide customer and warranty service until August 31, 2022 (or later if required by local laws).
We’re sure there are dedicated fans of the brand that will be sad to hear this news. For them, the hope remains that another manufacturer will license the name and revive the BlackBerry brand once again. If we have to be realistic, however, the chances of that happening are slim to none.
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