[thurask]

Supporting BB10 and BBOS Customers and Rewarding Your Loyalty | Inside BlackBerry

A little more than a year ago BlackBerry Executive Chairman and CEO, John Chen, declared that BlackBerry’s transition to a software company was complete. And still, in an era where consumers have been “trained” to upgrade their phones every 18-24 months, it is a testament to the durability of our designs and brand loyalty that there are still millions of people actively using BB10 and BBOS devices, many of which are already more than ten years old.

We manufactured our last BB10 and BBOS devices in 2015 and in the years since we have received many questions about our plans for ongoing support. First, we want to say thank you for your continued interest and passion for all things BlackBerry. Second, we want to acknowledge that we know your productivity relies upon the security, reliability, dependability, durability, extended battery life, and ease-of-use we designed and built into each handset. Third, we want to reward your loyalty by committing to providing you with at least two full years of additional support for BB10 and at least two full years of BlackBerry network access for BBOS devices.

As a further show of our appreciation and gratitude, we are working with our partners at BlackBerry Mobile to offer a trade-up program that will provide you with a significant discount and incentive to upgrade your current BlackBerry device to a new BlackBerry KeyOne or Motion, both of which are the world’s most secure Android smartphones.

While we are pleased to announce continuing support for BB10 and BBOS users for at least another two years, current device owners should be aware that we will be closing some ancillary services such as the BlackBerry World app store (12/31/2019), the BlackBerry Travel site (February 2018), and the Playbook video calling service (March 2018). Customers who upgrade to a new KeyOne or Motion won’t miss a beat as they’ll have immediate access to the rich universe of apps in the Google Play store without compromising on either security or their desire for a physical keyboard.

Stay tuned to this site for details on how to take advantage of the trade-up program and we look forward to your continuing loyalty and interest in BlackBerry. Thank you.

[conite]

It's official then.

BlackBerry NOC and BlackBerry World get shuttered in two years.

I assume that's also what they mean by "two years of support".

[howarmat]

"support" is a bad word to use. Like you said its more infrastructure in the back end and app store they will keep going. No new OS enhancements or releases.

[Qorax]

True End-of-an-Era, eh!

[Carjackd]

I'm following this just for the fireworks

Posted via CB10

[thurask]

"support" is a bad word to use. Like you said its more infrastructure in the back end and app store they will keep going. No new OS enhancements or releases.

If it's anything like the last two years of support it's just delaying pulling the plug.

[johnny_bravo72]

From clinically dead to corpse... in 2 years.
Can't get any more official than this.

[thurask]

From clinically dead to corpse... in 2 years.
Can't get any more official than this.

I'm still thinking there'll be the usual denial after this.

[IvanTheTolerable]

I'm still thinking there'll be the usual denial after this.

Guys here's how BB10 can still win the OS race...

[Sarek1701]

...so no BB10 for my Playbook??!!


LOL

[Low Joe]

My 2 cents

I grew up as a kid with a Tandy color computer. Now 30 plus years, after the last Tandy rolled out of radio shacks doors , my old computer is still going strong because of new hardware and software developed by the hobbyists.

BLACKBERRY was my first introduction to a SMART phone. I think that's why I have stayed loyal to them.

We can only hope that bb10 can remain viable, with support from this community, even if it's not going to remain a daily driver. I would still like to enjoy the 'PURE' BBOS experience ; even if it's on a less than daily schedule. A lot can still be done with this great hard/soft ware.


Sent from my Passport Red Edition

[mitchy_mitch]

I never thought I would say this, but I think I'm going to get an Apple X. BlackBerry is done and Android is a dog's breakfast to use. I'll be retiring my Dtek50 soon.

[Sarek1701]

...so no BB10 for my Playbook??!!


LOL

To be clear, I don't mean to be flippant. I've owned many BB devices over the years, and I'm sad to see the gradual (or not so gradual, depending upon your point of view) decline of innovation and support. I still prefer BB devices, whether they're made by BB or TCL, and still use my Playbook as a media player regularly. On the other hand, I understand the business side of things and that sometimes what the diehard purists want is not what the masses want. The market determines survival. I'm happy to keep using my KEYone and Playbook as long as I can. As long as they serve my needs, they'll be well-used.

[Low Joe]

To be clear, I don't mean to be flippant. I've owned many BB devices over the years, and I'm sad to see the gradual (or not so gradual, depending upon your point of view) decline of innovation and support. I still prefer BB devices, whether they're made by BB or TCL, and still use my Playbook as a media player regularly. On the other hand, I understand the business side of things and that sometimes what the diehard purists want is not what the masses want. The market determines survival. I'm happy to keep using my KEYone and Playbook as long as I can. As long as they serve my needs, they'll be well-used.

Same here. If my Passport keeps performing the daily tasks I ask it too ,then I will drag my feet as long as I can.
Why is it so fashionable in this throw away day of age to just give up on something we love. After all if we didn't love the frustration that a non main stream OS caused we would all be typing on a 'pretend ' alternate OS keyboard instead of listening to the musical clatter of a physical key press


Sent from my Passport Red Edition

[thurask]

After all if we didn't love the frustration that a non main stream OS caused we would all be typing on a 'pretend ' alternate OS keyboard instead of listening to the musical clatter of a physical key press

[Sarek1701]

Same here. If my Passport keeps performing the daily tasks I ask it too ,then I will drag my feet as long as I can.
Why is it so fashionable in this throw away day of age to just give up on something we love. After all if we didn't love the frustration that a non main stream OS caused we would all be typing on a 'pretend ' alternate OS keyboard instead of listening to the musical clatter of a physical key press


Sent from my Passport Red Edition

I miss my Passport to this day and respect your continued use of one. My inability to keep a device for more than a year or so makes me weak, but I sure do miss my Passport! Long live the PKB! Cheers!

[Low Joe]

https://i.imgur.com/c7NJRa2.gif

A BlackBerry Physical keyboard helping you navigate a non BB OS.?

How cute is that?

Sent from my Passport Red Edition

[Invictus0]

Had no idea Playbook specific services were still being supported. It'll be sad to eventually see everything go but it's great BlackBerry is giving advanced notice so far out like this.

I assume BB World's closure will also impact push notifications, cloud syncing, etc for existing apps?

[Low Joe]

A BlackBerry Physical keyboard helping you navigate a non BB OS.?

How cute is that?

Sent from my Passport Red Edition

I certainly don't want to take anything away from the Keyone. It was a pleasure to use at the toronto Crackberry meetup.

It's just not the same when the name of your OS can be confused with items in the grocery store.


Sent from my Passport Red Edition

[falbo]

I certainly won't be 'trading up ' from my passport by any deal that would require me surrendering this awesome device just to get a % of a K1 or motion! I will be definitely keeping this to show my future grand kids a piece of pure genius. This phone is still a pleasure to use and I will move on when I feel the time is right for me ;-). Hopefully another K1/K2 may appear in the future that may appeal to me and again I will wait for the reviews of those as I did with the K1 that I was so glad I didn't purchase due to the screen fall out issues.

Posted via CB10

[kvndoom]

I certainly won't be 'trading up ' from my passport by any deal that would require me surrendering this awesome device just to get a % of a K1 or motion! I will be definitely keeping this to show my future grand kids a piece of pure genius. This phone is still a pleasure to use and I will move on when I feel the time is right for me ;-). Hopefully another K1/K2 may appear in the future that may appeal to me and again I will wait for the reviews of those as I did with the K1 that I was so glad I didn't purchase due to the screen fall out issues.

Posted via CB10

Your grandkids will laugh and think you're senile.

[falbo]

Your grandkids will laugh and think you're senile.

No difference from my kids then ;-)

Posted via CB10

[Mauri5io]

My question is.... will they be release new OS fixes during these 2 years??? also, when 01/01/2020 arrives, BB services will shut down? all phones will be dead??? no internet at all with data plan? I'm a bit confused... well battery won't last longer til then but I still have a brand new Classic sleeping in a box

[falbo]

Don't think that we will get any os updates. Your phone will still work and you will be able to use data also. Recently I've just been using my passport via the Web browser instead of apps and adding shortcuts from the browser to home screen so they work like an app. These end dates were always in the pipeline to happen at sometime and now have become final. Enjoy your device and maybe something via the blackberry / tcl version android in the near future will spark an interest!
And wake-up that classic! ;-)
Posted via CB10

[unichips]

My question is.... will they be release new OS fixes during these 2 years??? also, when 01/01/2020 arrives, BB services will shut down? all phones will be dead??? no internet at all with data plan? I'm a bit confused... well battery won't last longer til then but I still have a brand new Classic sleeping in a box

Classic BBOS devices will experience a significant loss of functionality after BIS shuts down.

As for BB10: Committing to "support" an OS without an implicit commitment to patch critical vulnerabilities that may be discovered seems like an untenable scenario to me. We'll see.

(On that note, they have also stopped offering monthly patches for the Priv, but they made a vague statement about continuing to work with partners to patch "critical vulnerabilities" that may be discovered on that platform. Whatever that means...)

I'll be interested to see just how significant their incentive offers will be to trade up to a BBMo device...