Tag: BB10

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Mobile Syrup

Planned 5G BlackBerry smartphone reportedly dies, crushing hopes of few remaining fans

OnwardMobilities’ plan to release a new keyboard-equipped, Android-powered 5G BlackBerry device is reportedly dead, according to a report from CrackBerry and Android Police.

Texas-based OnwardMobility first announced the device back in 2020 following TCL’s decision to no longer license the once-formidable Canadian company’s name. Rumours pointed to a smartphone that looked very similar to 2015’s BlackBerry Priv, which featured a sliding screen and a physical keyboard. The smartphone was reportedly set to release in 2021, but that didn’t end up happening.

CrackBerry’s report, which cites “multiple sources,” says that “OnwardMobility and their BlackBerry 5G keyboard phone dream are dead.” Android Police says that OnwardMobility’s license to use the brand has been cancelled and that BlackBerry CEO John Chen is no longer interested in licensing the companies name.

Though BlackBerry exited the consumer smartphone industry back in 2016, it licensed its brand to TCL. This resulted in the release of several BlackBerry-branded smartphones, including the relatively well-received KEYone line.

Though it’s probably still a little early to be entirely certain, it’s likely that this was the once iconic Canadian tech company’s last chance at resurrection in the smartphone space — especially if Chen is no longer interested in licensing the now security software-focused companies name.

Last month, BlackBerry shut down support for BB10-powered devices, which includes smartphones like the Classic, the Z10 and the Q10.

Image credit: Shutterstock

Source: CrackBerry, Android Police

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Mobile Syrup

BlackBerry headed to trail over allegations it mislead investors

Sep 14, 2019 Mountain View / CA / USA – Blackberry logo at their HQ in Silicon Valley; BlackBerry Ltd (former developer of the BlackBerry smartphones) specializes in enterprise software and IOT

BlackBerry is heading to trial over allegations it defrauded investors.

It’s alleged the company inflated revenues on its BlackBerry 10 smartphones in 2013 to keep its stock safe.

The Waterloo, Ontario-based company will likely face trial in September or October of this year, New York judge Colleen McMahon ruled this week.

McMahon made the decision after the company’s latest bid to have the lawsuit, filed in 2013, dismissed. According to reporting from Reuters, issues over fact, including BlackBerry’s accounting, remained, leading McMahon to declare a trial overruling in favour of one party.

This is the latest in a dying saga; the news came just a day before the company officially killed its once-famous smartphones. The company has shifted its focus away from phones to cybersecurity.

Image credit: ShutterStock 

Source: Reuters

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Mobile Syrup

BlackBerry’s BB10 smartphones are dead

BlackBerry, a one-time Canadian smartphone giant, has pulled the plug on the services that power its lineup of BB10 devices.

While this day (January 4th, 2022) has been a long time coming, it also marks the end of an era and the official death of the tech giant’s BB10-powered smartphones. Further, BlackBerry 7.1 and earlier and BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.1 and earlier devices will also no longer function.

This means that iconic BlackBerry devices like the BlackBerry Classic, Q10, Bold, 9720 and more, no longer have access to mobile data, phone calls, text messages or 9-1-1 functionality.

“As a reminder, the legacy services for BlackBerry 7.1 OS and earlier, BlackBerry 10 software, BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.1 and earlier versions, will no longer be available after January 4, 2022,” wrote BlackBerrry on its website.

It’s important to point out that the brand’s later Android-powered, TCL-manufactured devices, including the Priv, DTEK60 and KeyOne, will still function.

At the company’s peak in 2009, BlackBerry held roughly 20 percent of the smartphone market, though it was quickly overtaken in the early 2010s by Apple’s iPhone and Android devices. The modern iteration of BlackBerry is a software and security services-focused business.

The company also still operates its QNX automotive software business.

Image credit: Shutterstock 

The Source: BlackBerry 

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Mobile Syrup

Telus reminds BB10 BlackBerry users that network connectivity ends Jan. 4, 2022

Telus has reminded the roughly ten remaining Canadian BB10 BlackBerry users (I’m confident this is an accurate number) that the former Canadian smartphone giant will be “turning these devices down” on January 4th, 2022.

This means that whether you’re using a BB10 device with Telus, Rogers, Bell or any other Canadian carrier, your device will no longer be able to connect to the network and won’t support voice, data, SMS or 911 services.

Strangely, Telus’ tweet mentions January 22, 2022, as the shutdown date, while its landing page regarding BB10 devices cites January 4th, 2022. On BlackBerry’s website, the company mentions January 4th as BB10’s death day.

Back in 2017, BlackBerry committed to offering two more years of support for BB10 devices and two years of network access to other BBOS devices.

Telus says that Blackberry is “now taking steps to decommission or terminate infrastructure” related to devices running BlackBerry 7.1 OS and earlier, BlackBerry 10 and BlackBerry Playbook OS 2.1 and earlier. The carrier has a complete list of devices affected by the network shut down.

The last BlackBerry 10 device to release was the Leap back in April 2015. However, popular BB10 smartphones phones like the Classic, the Z10 and Q10 also run the operating system. The last BlackBerry device to release in Canada was the Android-powered Key2 through the company’s branding and manufacturing partnership with TCL.

The most important thing to take away here is that your uncle, who insists BlackBerry is a Canadian company that makes stellar devices, will probably need to buy a modern smartphone manufactured in the last five years.

Source: @TELUSsupport