BlackBerry, a brand that underestimates the competition

If we want to know the history of smartphones, we will undoubtedly come across the brand BlackBerry. That device model It was at the top, on the crest of the wave, and years later it is no longer recognized as it once was.. He tried to rise again like the Phoenix, but he didn't succeed.. Therefore, starting this year, these phones will no longer work, with the exception of models with the Android operating system.

The Canadian company Research In Motion (RIM) made this known through a statement. In which they indicated that devices that have internet access, phone calls, and SMS services using BlackBerry software through their providers or via Wi-Fi will no longer function reliably.

In other words, Any BlackBerry smartphone with operating systems 7.1 and below and BlackBerry 10 will be virtually unusable from the beginning of this year 2022.. However, we can look at it from a more positive perspective: they will become collector's items, but without much value for the time being, since there must be millions and millions of units.

The history of BlackBerry

RIM took its first steps in 1984 and in 1995 began working with Ericcson and RAM Mobile Data in the development of a wireless network known as Mobitex. Shortly after, in 1999, they launched the first BlackBerry, a device that revolutionized smartphones with its distinctive keyboard and screen.

It all started with the BlackBerry 850, which was something like a people pager, a telephone and a PDA. After a while, it became the perfect device for executives, as it included a calendar that allowed them to schedule meetings and check email. Something practically unthinkable at the time.

Then, the models followed BlackBerry 957, 6210 and, in 2009, the Curve 8520, which became the most well-known and sought-after by the general public.

What happened?

A little earlier, Specifically in 2007, two major competitors appeared on the scene and that would be the beginning of the end of BlackBerry.. It all happened because the Canadian company failed to read the competition. On the one hand, like Nokia, they remained committed to maintaining their operating system and avoiding the use of third-party operating systems, in this case, Android. And on the other hand, the iPhone appeared on the scene, which would become one of the most coveted cell phones in history.

For him Founder Mike Lazaridis, who came up with the brilliant idea of calendar notes and email checks on his devices, dismissed the touchscreens of the competition and, later, the Android operating system.

These decisions were reconsidered and They decided to use Android as their operating system for 2011. But it was already too late. Apple and Samsung had displaced it and taken its share of the cell phone market.

ANDn In 2016 they decided to change their line of business, becoming a software company and stopping the production of smart devices.

That's why it's so important not to underestimate the competition. And even more so when they develop different products, which can lead customers to change their consumption habits. This case, and that of Nokia, are worthy of study. Tell us about other cases you know of where a company failed to adapt to change.

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