BlackBerry Legacy Services to stop functioning starting January 4, 2022: Here is why

Earlier in December last year, software company BlackBerry announced the ending of its legacy services. As mentioned on their official website, 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 starting January 4, 2022, i.e. two days from now. Devices running on the aforementioned category will no longer function reliably. In other words, BlackBerry does not guarantee that services such as cellular or Wi-Fi connection for making phone calls, accessing data and sending text messages will work properly.

Earlier in 2013, the company released BlackBerry 10 as a new operating system to rival iOS and Android. However, since the initiative didn't meet anticipated success, it shifted to Android in the year 2015 as BlackBerry Priv. In 2016, BlackBerry collaborated with TCL Communication and Optiemus Infracom in India. However, the former terminated its partnership with BlackBerry in 2020. Similarly, other licensees also withdrew their support and hence, BlackBerry Key2 LE was the last phone that was launched under the brand. There have been no BlackBerry phones launched ever since. 

Why is BlackBerry ending its legacy services?

BlackBerry asserts that it is focused on developing intelligent security software for governments and enterprises. Additionally, for the past decade, the rate of adoption of Android and iOS by users has surpassed every other operating system out there. While the BlackBerry devices do provide a vintage experience, applications and services developed in the 2020s are based on Android and iOS. Hence, BlackBerry would either have to develop compatible versions of the applications or completely redesign its software and rebrand to compete against Apple and Google (which is now present on billions of devices), which would require a fortune of funds and resources which does not seem feasible.

On its official website, Blackberry specifies that "At the time of termination of services, devices running BlackBerry 7.1 OS and earlier software, BlackBerry 10 software, and BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.1 and earlier software through either carrier or Wi-Fi connections will no longer reliably function." Adding to it, Blackberry says that "these devices will lack the ability to receive over the air provisioning updates and as such, this functionality will no longer be expected to reliably function, including for data, phone calls, SMS and 9-1-1 functionality.​​​​"

IMAGE: UNSPLASH