Devices to Lose Connectivity to Wi-Fi and Cellular Networks from January 4

BlackBerry has made the announcement that it will discontinue significant services for its existing devices in 2022. Starting from January 4, the company’s smartphones will no longer have provisioning services. As a result, they will be unable to connect to any networks, including the mobile phone network.

BlackBerry, known for its keyboard-centric designs, was once in high demand among business workers who relied on its services for confidentiality and anonymity. However, the introduction of touchscreen phones, particularly the iPhone, caused a shift in the industry. BlackBerry was slow to adapt and stuck with its on-screen keyboards, while Android phones evolved and gained popularity.

Realizing it couldn’t keep up with the industry, BlackBerry eventually exited the hardware sector and sold the BlackBerry-branded license to other manufacturers. It decided to focus on supporting older BlackBerry devices running its proprietary software. However, these devices are outdated and the discontinuation of services will not have a significant impact.

BlackBerry has stated that it will no longer provide provisioning updates to its handsets and these devices will eventually lose connectivity to Wi-Fi and cellular networks. They will cease to offer data, texts, calls, SMS, and 911 capabilities. On January 4, BlackBerry World and BlackBerry Link will be decommissioned.

Although BlackBerry’s presence in the smartphone market has diminished, the company continues to provide corporate security services.