I have seen the most passionate brand loyalists of BlackBerry phones; the phone enjoyed strong fanatics who swore by the brand since 1999 its birth. As for me, I resisted the idea of moving to a Smartphone for a long time, but, nevertheless I had to switch. And, my first Smartphone was BlackBerry-8520. In 2011 I switched to the BlackBerry Curve and in 2014 to BlackBerry Passport. Perhaps BlackBerry kept resisting the superfast Smartphone changing market; it was slow in adapting to the changing market dynamics, be it the growing love for Android, affordable phones, or touch screens. From QWERTY physical keyboards to BBM instant messenger, BlackBerry is now is only nostalgia.

BlackBerry 8520 was the first BlackBerry device introduced in 1999. Supporting email and limited HTML browsing, the small device featured a monochrome screen. The BlackBerry 5810 was the first model with phone capabilities but it required a headset. BlackBerry was considered one of the most prominent Smartphone vendors in the world, specializing in secure communications and mobile productivity. At its peak in September 2013, there were 85 million BlackBerry subscribers worldwide. This happened because during and after the September 11, 2001 attacks, when other phones failed, BlackBerry didn’t. It was one of the few networks that continued to function in New York and that won the phone a generation of loyalists.

I think when most people weren’t even sure if they needed security on their phones, BlackBerry provided it. Today, security and privacy are hot topics for everyone who owns a mobile device. BlackBerry believed making phones with strong security; they believed that   “security is only as strong as its weakest link”. Security is about economics. No system is unfathomable to security; in a Smartphone security is most important. The amount spent on the Smartphone needs to be aligned with the value of all important information stored in the phone and its protection. Hackers follow the path of least resistance. This was the key thread that bonded BlackBerry to its customers. A generation of loyalists of BlackBerry got attached emotionally to its secured phones. However, its punch line “keep moving” seems a bit obscure, because the company resisted moving with times.

Secure foundations make secure systems; effective security needs to be baked into the system from the very beginning. BlackBerry security was not just a feature or enrichment, it was their fundamental property. Security takes time and experience. At BlackBerry, their software and hardware were BlackBerry-built which provides end-to-end layered features.

The sturdy BlackBerry phones were built with long lasting battery, great speed processing, a great camera, clear display, great storage space, of course QWERTY physical keyboards and a great look!  Do you know that Barack Obama in particular refused to give his Blackberry up when he took office in The White House? After winning the election he said that if officials wanted him to stop using it they would have to “pry it out of his hands”. Even, the British Prime Minister David Cameron was a fan and even he continued using BlackBerry. And, model Kim Kardashian was among the celebrities who endorsed the company.

In September 2016, the company declared that it will stop making its own devices. The company, which is famed for its “Qwerty” keyboard mobile phones that were the preference handset for proficient people in world decided to give up the struggle to keep up with market leaders Apple and Samsung as the world has moved to touch-screens. It is an end of the BlackBerry era…..BlackBerry fans all over the world have shown childlike emotionalism to this reality, its ardent fans are still waiting for the Smartphone Company to revive and come with their new phones, they are ready to abandon their iPhones and Android Smartphones for a BlackBerry, after all, and that’s what these users did.