BlackBerry will die on January 4th — for actual this time

Dear associates, we’re gathered right here at this time to mourn the demise of that once-beloved monarch of the cellular world: BlackBerry. And, sure, I notice that that is not the primary time we’ve introduced the demise of the corporate or its gadgets (and, for causes I’ll clarify under, it possible received’t be the final) however this can be a very particular ending for legacy BlackBerry {hardware}.

As of January 4th, any telephones or tablets working BlackBerry’s personal software program — that’s BlackBerry 7.1 or earlier, BlackBerry 10, or its pill working system BlackBerry PlayBook — will “no longer reliably function,” says the company. Whether on Wi-Fi or mobile, there’ll be no assure you can also make telephone calls, ship textual content messages, use knowledge, set up an SMS connection, and even name 9-1-1. That sounds fairly darned useless to us.

If, for no matter inexplicable motive, you or somebody you like continues to be utilizing an authentic BlackBerry, then we suggest you make it a New Year’s decision to pry it gently however firmly from their fingers. From January 4th onwards, it’ll be little greater than a paperweight. (Though BlackBerry gadgets working Android will proceed to work as regular.)

As alluded to above, although, this won’t be the final BlackBerry demise we announce. The firm has skilled a gradual and torturous decline since its dominant period within the late 2000s, when its QWERTY keyboards and fame for safety gave it a 50 % market share within the US, however such a storied model must be wrung for its final dregs of worth. (Its dad or mum firm, BlackBerry Limited, has pivoted to selling cybersecurity software.)

BlackBerry tried to reboot itself in 2013 with a brand new OS, BlackBerry 10 (which failed), and in 2015 switched to creating Android gadgets (which failed, too). Then, in 2016, it began licensing its model to third-party producers like TCL. This continues to be how the BlackBerry title lingers on, and in 2020, a Texas agency named OnwardMobility mentioned it might be making a 5G Android-powered BlackBerry machine with a full QWERTY keyboard to launch in 2021.

Well, the clock is fairly ticking on that one (OnwardMobility hasn’t shared any information or updates on its web site since January 2021), however whether or not that exact effort lives or dies, it should no less than give us an opportunity to assemble once more for an additional funeral. We actually should get collectively a while below kinder circumstances. How are your aunt and uncle anyway?