BlackBerry done making smartphones RIP

[JordanWearinThe45]

In BlackBerry's latest quarterly financials released today, the company revealed it's getting out of the hardware business once and for all, choosing instead to "outsource that function to partners." It's not a huge shock given BlackBerry CEO John Chen has foreshadowed the cut and run several times. Earlier this year, he warned that if hardware wasn't making a profit by September it would be time to call it quits, and he's kept his word after the Mobility Solutions division posted an $8 million loss for this past quarter. This doesn't mean we've seen the last of BlackBerry handsets, though; they just won't be produced in-house anymore.

This was the case for BlackBerry's last launch anyway, as the all-touch DTEK50 was more or less a repurposed Alcatel device manufactured by TCL. Furthermore, the company announced in today's financials that it's already licensed its name to an Indonesian firm that'll build and sell BlackBerry-branded devices in the region.

While BlackBerry still makes the best keyboards in the business, some of its last highly security-conscious enterprise customers are starting to move on -- not to mention that the security of consumer devices has been called into question. In the past few months, BlackBerry has lost several high-profile patrons, including the US Senate and President Obama.

BlackBerry's core business remains software, but gone are the days when secure, enterprise email solutions were all the company had to talk about. Much of its famed productivity software is now available on Android, BBM is still very much a thing, and the QNX platform is being expanded to power self-driving cars. BlackBerry has also started shipping Radar, a hardware and software combo that offers shipping companies and the like real-time tracking. And while BB10 OS may be all but retired, a renewed focus on software appears to be paying off.

"We are reaching an inflection point with our strategy. Our financial foundation is strong, and our pivot to software is taking hold," said Chen. "In Q2, we more than doubled our software revenue year over year and delivered the highest gross margin in the company's history." Cut through the corporate speak and the general takeaway is: BlackBerry is doing alright, hardware is expendable.

BlackBerry is done making smartphones

RIP

 

[soulfuljah]

I knew it was over when they sold their soul to Android. All that's left to do now is wait on that Passport fire sale.

 

[Liquid]

@ThiefyPoo

 

[head shots101]

You know whats crazy i've never fukked with the blackberry wave....I always fukked with pocket pc's(windows mobile) and then later with android (G1) in my opinion blackberry wasn't fukking with the functionality of windows mobile shyt even the Palm treo but I guess people were fukking with for bbm

 

[ThiefyPoo]

Rip some of the best times of my life group chats were always lit .

Met some cool folks using BBM .

I still use bbm everyday I got my ladies group and sports groups .




This is why as a business you must never get cocky and listen to your consumers .

Typing on those keyboards I was lightening fast !!!

 

[darealvelle]

You know whats crazy i've never fukked with the blackberry wave....I always fukked with pocket pc's(windows mobile) and then later with android (G1) in my opinion blackberry wasn't fukking with the functionality of windows mobile shyt even the Palm treo but I guess people were fukking with for bbm

Bruh them days . Pulled that shyt out and them hoes went crazy when you ask for them digits

 

[joeychizzle]

BlackBerry not making smartphones anymore is like Bow Wow saying he's not rapping anymore :fohmayne:

 

[Cheech&Chong]

Rip some of the best times of my life group chats were always lit .

Met some cool folks using BBM .

I still use bbm everyday I got my ladies group and sports groups .




This is why as a business you must never get cocky and listen to your consumers .

Typing on those keyboards I was lightening fast !!!

I have to have a key board.
This thing is my baby

sad to see she won't be getting an offspring

 

[ℒℴѵℯJay ELECTUA]

They need to make designer dress wear..

Their fitted super blackberry fitted caps..

 

[ZEB WALTON]

Lost my blackberry nye 14 i beleive. Long island ice ts n opiates, blacked out. Soneone got a treasure chest of classic pics n messages.

Loved my berry most outta all my phones. Rip

 

[darealvelle]

There is still a market for tactile
Keyboards on phones though.

 

[Trapperman Dave]

Blackberry used to have the juice

 

[Cryptocurrency Scarface]

never owned one but remember all my university housemates having them

 

[feelosofer]

Most secure smartphone I ever head, it was the GOAT business phone. What a shame.

 

[levitate]

They dragged the dying process out wayyyy too long.