BlackBerry has pulled the plug on its signature product. The Canada-based firm, which has since transitioned into a cyber security-centered company, will no longer offer technical support to the dwindling number of BlackBerry phone users.
The company originally revealed its plans to scrap its smartphones on its website in September 2020, though it chose to wait until January 4, 2022, as an expression of thanks to their loyal partners and customers.
That means anyone who owns one of the many BlackBerry devices will not be able to rely on basic services like phone calls, texts, data, and 911 emergency functionality.
BlackBerry, which stopped manufacturing mobile phones in 2016, was knocked off its perch by Google and Apple, whose respective Android and iOS operating systems combine to hold more than 99 percent of the world’s market share.
BlackBerry is shutting down services for all devices that operate on the Blackberry 7.1 OS or earlier as well as BlackBerry 10, BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.1, and earlier versions.
