Categories: Privacy

The End of BlackBerry Smartphones is Here

BlackBerry recently announced that they would no longer be making cell phones. Although BlackBerry phones were once incredibly popular, the company struggled to stay relevant in a world that wanted iPhones and the latest Samsung Galaxy phone. Even those who once prized their BlackBerry phone over all others — whether for security reasons, or lack of tech savvy — have made the switch.

Why BlackBerry’s Newer Phone Models Failed
BlackBerry was a successful smartphone company 6 years ago: it sold more phones globally than Android and Apple. But their sales soon declined due to an outdated and unpopular operating system, in addition to them offering fewer features and apps than their competitors. Ultimately, BlackBerry couldn’t meet user demand. The company failed to stay on top of the latest technology for smartphones, and in the case of their newer model, the Priv, they failed to implement this technology quickly enough.

The Priv, like other BlackBerry phone models, offered a physical keyboard. Unlike previous BlackBerry phones, it included all of the features of a modern Android phone, but with a high-end price tag. Although this model was well received, it still didn’t offer enough to sway cell phone users back to BlackBerry.

Perhaps the Priv would have been more popular among those who consider themselves less tech-savvy if it had had a lower price tag. BlackBerry more recently released the Dtek50 model, which, although cheaper than the Priv, came out too late. (However, BlackBerry did not create and develop this model.) If they had released either model even a few years ago, perhaps they would have sold more, and thus been more popular. What it all comes down to: who wants to buy a BlackBerry phone in 2016 when there are better options available?

The Future of BlackBerry
Despite declining revenue over the years and recently suffering a substantial loss, BlackBerry will still be around. The company is actually doing better than projected. They will outsource their hardware development, allowing other manufacturers to continue making their cell phones for existing clients. It is unclear how strict this process will be. As for BlackBerry, the company plans to focus on software development, security, and apps. It has been moving towards this focus for the last few years. Hopefully, this will help BlackBerry to get back on track, but if not, BlackBerry could be up for sale in the near future.

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The dfndr blog is an informative channel that presents exclusive content on security and privacy in the mobile and business world, with tips to keep users protected. Populated by a select group of expert reporters, the channel has a partnership with dfndr lab's security team. Together they bring you, first-notice news about attacks, scams, internet vulnerabilities, malware and everything affecting cybersecurity.