What happened to BlackBerry, the pioneer device among smartphones?

Long before brands like Apple, Samsung and Xiaomi became popular among mobile phone users, BlackBerry was one of the favorite manufacturers of consumersAlong with Nokia and Motorola. But unlike its competitors, it gained fame mainly among the corporate public.

Formerly known as Research in Motion Limited (RIM), the company was founded in Canada in 1984.He started in the software business and entered the telecommunications sector in 1988, developing systems for pagers and reaching the hardware market for end users in the following decade.

The company launched its first device in 1999, considering the emergence of mobile communication. BlackBerry 850, Pager with physical keyboard and wireless internet connection that can receive emails in real timeAllows you to stay online while traveling.

This feature is a success among executives and professionals who need to stay connected all dayIt allowed BlackBerry to add more functionality to the device. The new models featured larger screens, improved chips, and more secure text messaging and calling.

Pioneer among smartphones

Capitalizing on Canadian company fame It launched its first smartphone in 2002The BlackBerry 5810 was a category pioneer, bringing a color display, QWERTY keyboard, and phone calls, email and web browsing to the palm of your hand.

Based on Java, BlackBerry OS was another feature that differentiated the phones. manufactured by it, known for its reliability and reinforced security. The devices also had a long-lasting battery that offered longer usage.

Another interesting point was the secure messaging platform integrated into smartphones. Authorized BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) send and receive encrypted messagesIdeal for business communications.

This is also possible thanks to BBM Share files more securely and create groups by customizing each participant’s profileThese and other features have led to the company being used by the United States government and employees of large corporations.

Celebrities using BlackBerry

With a slice Almost 20% of the global smartphone market between 2009 and 2010 BlackBerry, which had a larger percentage of the American market, sold more than 50 million phones a year. Many famous people were its fans.

One of them was Mark Zuckerberg, the current CEO of Meta. There are even reports that suggest he is a billionaire. He allegedly used his BlackBerry phone to send his first Facebook message.

During his term as President of the United States, Barack Obama never took his BlackBerry out of his pocketIt was used in non-business communications and by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Oprah Winfrey and Kim Kardashian were other celebrities who worshiped the brand.

Why was the BlackBerry mobile phone discontinued?

Despite revolutionizing mobile communications, BlackBerry has failed to keep up with its rivals’ advancesTouch screen, multimedia features, and app stores were some of the improvements offered by competitors.

The first touchscreen mobile phone was the BlackBerry Storm in 2010, but Technical issues hindered sales. Then came the BlackBerry Torch, which suffered from outdated software and poor performance.

Between 2012 and 2013, a new operating system, BlackBerry 10, and mobile phones such as BlackBerry Z10 and BlackBerry Q10 appeared. But launches could not compete with devices supported by Android and iOS systems.

Yet The first rumors about the sale of the brand appeared in 2013With interested parties such as Lenovo and Facebook. In 2016, BlackBerry announced that it was withdrawing from the mobile phone market, where participation was minimal.

Although production was stopped The brand continued to appear on new smartphonesIt was made by TCL, which acquired the license. Models like the BlackBerry KeyOne and Key2 had Android, and the Chinese company kept the license until 2020, when it transferred the license to a startup called OnwardMobility.

The new owner tried to revive BlackBerry with a 5G mobile phone, but the project did not progress. Support for the company’s classic mobile phones ends at the beginning of 2022losing various functions.

Investing in cybersecurity

He decided to stop producing mobile phones Invest in the cybersecurity sectorThe change began in 2016 with the acquisition of British Encryption, which provides services to government agencies and large organizations.

Two years later, it acquired American startup Cylance, a pioneer in the smartphone industry. to enter the security software and services segment definitivelyAs in the past, the focus continued to be on the corporate market.

What is BlackBerry doing today?

While searching BlackBerry in 2024You will see that the brand’s website is functioning normally, but it will not contain information about classic mobile phones, but about cybersecurity, an area in which it is already active.

Legacy RIM serves thousands of corporate customersincluding electric car manufacturers that offer security solutions in their models globally. Cybersecurity tools and reports on mitigating hacker attacks are also available on the official BlackBerry page.