BlackBerry phones strolling the unique running device and offerings will not be supported after Jan. 4, marking the cease of the era for the iconic gadget that propelled work into the mobile age.
It ruled the world in the days when physical keyboards had yet to give way to touch displays, as a pioneer of on-the-go email and a paragon of workplace connection. However, as the shift to 5G wireless technology progresses, the cell phone turned status symbol will become another artefact of an ancient past on Tuesday.
BlackBerry phones outdated operating systems and applications “will no longer reliably work” after its “end of life date,” as the firm puts it. Old devices will be unable to transmit text messages or dial 911, thereby relegating them to the world of the esoteric, alongside floppy discs and dial-up modems. The business, which has now turned to corporate software and cybersecurity, warned users in a news release in late December.
BlackBerry phones were one of the first gadgets to present the conflict that blurs the lines between home and work. The battles fought over BlackBerry usage in movie theatres, at dinner tables, during ballet recitals and T-ball games, and while crossing the street anticipated the never-ending tug-of-war for attention and presence that many people encounter in the age of omnipresent smartphones, social media, and Slack.
The gadgets were both adored and despised for their inability to be set down, garnering them the nickname “Crackberries.” Zoom fatigue is commonly more than a year and a half into the coronavirus epidemic. Now, the device’s death comes when the business world is weighing the cost of being approachable by your boss at all times.
Workers are departing in record numbers and re-evaluating their relationships with work, with burnout cited as one of the top reasons for quitting. BlackBerry’s demise is part of the so-called 2G/3G sunset, in which carriers are tearing down outmoded and inefficient infrastructure – formerly the gold standard for connection – making way for modern networks that are more secure, cost-effective, and simpler to operate.
The twilight will affect more than just flip phones: numerous “internet of things” devices, including farming equipment, security systems, and fire alarms, still use 3G, and change has been slow. Although AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile plan to phase out 3G services this year, the path to 5G remains fraught with obstacles and delays, ranging from legislative impediments to an absence of hardware and experienced personnel.
In its first incarnation, the BlackBerry was simply a glorified two-way pager, a “breakthrough cellular solution for mobile professionals,” according to its creator, Research In Motion. In 2002, the first smartphone that could be considered a smartphone was released, and it needed the use of a headset.
For years, BlackBerry stood at the top of the personal technological food chain, with politicians, celebrities, and professionals alike relying on it. President Barack Obama refused to give up his BlackBerry after assuming office, while Kim Kardashian used to keep numerous BlackBerries just in case one broke.
A long time ago, Research In Motion was one of the world’s top smartphone manufacturers, and it pioneered technologies like online surfing, predictive text, secure instant messaging, and Bluetooth. He was regarded as a security leader. On the other hand, the corporation was late to see the usefulness of applications and touch displays.
Former BlackBerry CEO John Chen insisted that the company’s strategy will “focus more and more on the qwerty keyboard” as late as 2014.
However, the devices occasionally irritated children due to their distracting influence on parents: “BlackBerry Orphans,” a 2006 Wall Street Journal story, featured a 4-year-old who tried to dump her mother’s BlackBerry down the toilet and a ninth-grader whose parents typed her graduation ceremony and dancing performances. “She’s constantly focusing on that awful device,” one Austin elementary school student remarked of his mother’s BlackBerry.
The New Era of Smartphones
The iPhone’s introduction ushered in a wave of revolution in the smartphone market. Whereas BlackBerry has traditionally catered to the corporate, work-addicted customer who valued email, the iPhone provided a user-friendly interface that appealed to those inside and outside the workplace.
- Following the release of the iPhone in 2007, BlackBerry’s market share dropped from 20% in 2009 to barely 5% in 2012, according to Business Insider.
- Customers were flooded with touch-based choices from competitors like Apple, Google, and Samsung
- BlackBerry’s market share had plummeted to nil by 2016 when the firm stopped producing BlackBerry and moved its attention to software.
Published By – Royal Roshan Rodrigues
Edited By – Kritika Kashyap
