[anon(10235536)]

Yesterday, German Tech Portal teltarif.de speculated about an upcoming end of BBMo. Their source is a post by the forum administrator of the German Portal blackberrybase.net (https://www.blackberrybase.net/showt...te-Versprechen!!!). Said admin states that according to his sources (which in the past had been rather reliable, as he claims) almost all former German BlackBerry Staff is going to be laid off soon - same obviously applies for employees in other countries. Furthermore he states that the April 2019 patch was the last for Keyone and that Key2 will not be getting Pie (but security Patches til June 2020 and August 2020 for the Key2LE). Only positive news from this source is that obviously the rumored Key3 is in the making.

[howarmat]

Considering there are keyones being updated well beyond the April patch already i wouldnt believe much from this source. I assume Pie will come this summer to the Key2 series

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

Yesterday, German Tech Portal teltarif.de speculated about an upcoming end of BBMo. Their source is a post by the forum administrator of the German Portal blackberrybase.net (https://www.blackberrybase.net/showt...te-Versprechen!!!). Said admin states that according to his sources (which in the past had been rather reliable, as he claims) almost all former German BlackBerry Staff is going to be laid off soon - same obviously applies for employees in other countries. Furthermore he states that the April 2019 patch was the last for Keyone and that Key2 will not be getting Pie (but security Patches til June 2020 and August 2020 for the Key2LE). Only positive news from this source is that obviously the rumored Key3 is in the making.

If true... it wouldn't be good.

Is this coming from BlackBerry Ltd or from BlackBerry Mobile? I can see either cutting staff associated with the sales of devices... and there still being devices.

I did see one positive thing today....


TCL was talking about bringing back their own brand, but they still showed BlackBerry in the lineup. How long ago that slide was made... I don't know. And the article didn't say that the person said anything about BlackBerry.

I do have my doubts....

• some key people are no longer at either company
• all the apps recently EOL ended were devices apps - but they didn't end DTEK
• Inventory in some markets is drying up.... long before a replace is in place
• No sign at all of PIE being worked on by either company.
• No sign of the KEY3

Could just be both companies are adjusting to the limited sales potential of PKB devices...

[Invictus0]

Considering there are keyones being updated well beyond the April patch already i wouldnt believe much from this source. I assume Pie will come this summer to the Key2 series

Per @conite, the recent Keyone updates are still on the April patch.

https://forums.crackberry.com/blackb.../#post13402735

[Paulelmar18]

The article mentioned in the opening post was researched and written by me.

The article was submitted to TCL Europe for comment prior to publication. The content of the article (only two years of security updates, no Android Pie for the KEY2 models) was not contradicted.

Almost the entire German sales team of TCL and former employees of BlackBerry Ltd. was terminated at the end of the month. And Germany was/is one of the largest markets for BlackBerry in Europe.

The picture is from the year 2017.

The picture in the post of Dunt Dunt Dunt is from 2017 and seemes no longer to reflect TCL's current business policy.

[conite]

I have figured that the BlackBerry brand was being absorbed into TCL for some time. This is not very shocking to me. It's actually good news for BlackBerry-branded device fans, as overhead costs are being reduced substantially. I don't really think that extra management layer brought much value.

As far as the KEYᵒⁿᵉ is concerned, there is another build on PTCRB - ABY299. Will have to see what that is before drawing conclusions.

As far as Pie for the KEY², I don't see them not releasing it, unless there was some unusual technical problem that couldn't be resolved.

[John Albert]

Well, if this news true, we still have hope to get Key3!

[PantherBlitz]

Almost the entire German sales team of TCL and former employees of BlackBerry Ltd. was terminated at the end of the month.

If these employees were managing enterprise accounts or involved as liaisons with carriers then it is no surprise to me that they were terminated. TCL does not need surplus staff to duplicate the efforts of other employees.

[PantherBlitz]

TCL was talking about bringing back their own brand, but they still showed BlackBerry in the lineup. How long ago that slide was made... I don't know. And the article didn't say that the person said anything about BlackBerry.

What struck me the most from that slide is that they were considering the Alcatel brand to be more entry-level than the TCL brand. How times have changed. I remember when Bell Labs pretty much had the same prestige as NASA.

[the_boon]

If these employees were managing enterprise accounts or involved as liaisons with carriers then it is no surprise to me that they were terminated. TCL does not need surplus staff to duplicate the efforts of other employees.

Seems like TCL is playing this much smarter than BB ltd ever did since BBOS

[curves2000]

I really hope we get some additional clarification soon on what the future of BlackBerry Mobile does indeed hold.

Status of security patches, possible Key 3 launch and upgraded Key 2 etc.

My gut feeling tells me it's over as per the original post. I've tried to get clarification and I have emailed BlackBerry Mobile PR and other executives. My emails have been returned with former employees as no longer be an active email while others have been ignored.

Other members of the BlackBerry Ltd handset device business on CB appear to continue to work on BlackBerry Hub etc which is a positive sign but on the other hand we've seen very little information on a possible successor or even strong stock available for purchase.

I'm still trying to see where things might have gone off the rails for BlackBerry Mobile. The KEY 1 appeared to be a fairly successful device for them and from all reports and statements from them indicate that the Key 2 also sold well with the LE variant doing really well. Hitting pause on an annual device upgrade cycle can make sense but you would think it would also make sense to continue selling devices to clients and having stock.

Hopefully it's not the end! I need to look for something to replace my BlackBerry 10 device in the future!

Posted via CB10

[jackcarr]

Well...BBMo will have to make a decision at some point. Either it's a good deal for them to continue the BlackBerry line or it isn't. I think they've made some good handsets.

[SpecialDelivery]

The picture is from the year 2017.

The picture in the post of Dunt Dunt Dunt is from 2017 and seemes no longer to reflect TCL's current business policy.

I do not think that is from 2017 unless he was showing off a device that was not yet announced. Even leaks of the Palm phone never appeared until 2018 - https://www.channelnews.com.au/new-t...s-palm-mobile/

[Invictus0]

The picture in the post of Dunt Dunt Dunt is from 2017 and seemes no longer to reflect TCL's current business policy.

It's actually from a presentation they did in Australia yesterday,

https://ausdroid.net/2019/06/27/tcl-...sung-a-series/

[Paulelmar18]

It's actually from a presentation they did in Australia yesterday,

https://ausdroid.net/2019/06/27/tcl-...sung-a-series/

A similar chart was part of a presentation to corporate clients in Germany in November 2017. I didn't think it was still in use and still 'up to date'. Excuse me.

[conite]

So, bottom line is that we have one source, saying some things, that have neither been confirmed nor denied by TCL or anyone else. Got it.

[John Albert]

How come BlackBerry phones regarded high end phones?
I only see mid range specs phones and they are no longer making touchscreen phones!
If they consider BlackBerry brand for their high end devices, they should have released devices like Z30, Passport, and Priv.

[Paulelmar18]

So, bottom line is that we have one source, saying some things, that have neither been confirmed nor denied by TCL or anyone else. Got it.

Conite, I recommend that you read the article on BlackBerryBase.net.

The complete text of the article was available to TCL for two weeks for comment. In a phone call with the PR department shortly before the release, there was no doubt about the content of the article. The department was only unable to make an official statement because no release from China had yet been received.

If the content was wrong and we had made business-damaging statements, I would have personally suspected that TCL would threaten us with legal action. Or at least suggests corrections. Neither was the case.

Yesterday we received confirmation in a mail that TCL did not consider it necessary to correct the content of the text.

[John Albert]

Conite, I recommend that you read the article on BlackBerryBase.net.

The complete text of the article was available to TCL for two weeks for comment. In a phone call with the PR department shortly before the release, there was no doubt about the content of the article. The department was only unable to make an official statement because no release from China had yet been received.

If the content was wrong and we had made business-damaging statements, I would have personally suspected that TCL would threaten us with legal action. Or at least suggests corrections. Neither was the case.

Yesterday we received confirmation in a mail that TCL did not consider it necessary to correct the content of the text.

TCL didn't deny this news, but they shouldn't keep silent if they're gonna release Key3.
They should confirm everything is fine and they will support the next device unless they will make Key3 launch similar to Key2 Red.

[conite]

Conite, I recommend that you read the article on BlackBerryBase.net.

The complete text of the article was available to TCL for two weeks for comment. In a phone call with the PR department shortly before the release, there was no doubt about the content of the article. The department was only unable to make an official statement because no release from China had yet been received.

If the content was wrong and we had made business-damaging statements, I would have personally suspected that TCL would threaten us with legal action. Or at least suggests corrections. Neither was the case.

Yesterday we received confirmation in a mail that TCL did not consider it necessary to correct the content of the text.

That doesn't mean anything. TCL plays things close to the vest - it's as simple as that.

"No comment" is exactly how I would expect them to react.

[Paulelmar18]

If you say so, it must be true.

[conite]

If you say so, it must be true.

Actually it's YOUR hypothesis, not mine. The burden of proof rests with you.

The fact that TCL didn't change its corporate communications policy based on a single uncorroborated rumour sent by some random blogger isn't exactly evidence.

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

That doesn't mean anything. TCL plays things close to the vest - it's as simple as that.

"No comment" is exactly how I would expect them to react.

There is no doubt in my mind that the questions about the future of the brand are damaging potential sale now, and in the near term. I'm not saying they need to directly make a comment on any one article, but the community as a whole does have doubt about...

KEYone and thus KEY2 Patch Cycles
PIE Update
If there will be future device

I get that they don't have much of a Enterprise business so that's not a big issue, but even consumers on the fence might walk away if they think things are ending. One good thing is at least patches will go the whole two years for each device....

A simple update on their website of when they hope to release a PIE beta would go a long way. Leak of the KEY3 on some benchmark sites or through someone like Evan Blass.

I just don't see any advantages to playing it close to the vest... unless they need to sell as much inventory before they come clean on what is being suspected.

[Paulelmar18]

Our forum had a very long and very close relationship with BlackBerry Ltd. in Germany and their employees. We also have close contact to TCL/BlackBerry Mobile in Paris. We know many of the company's distributors and corporate customers who still work with BlackBerry Ltd. and TCL/BlackBerry Mobile. We work closely with other forums in Germany, Europe and the rest of the world.

Oh yes, we are just a 'random blogger' as CrackBerry. It's just sad.

[Platinum_2]

.
I just don't see any advantages to playing it close to the vest... unless they need to sell as much inventory before they come clean on what is being suspected.

Have you ever arrived at a favorite restaurant only to find out they have permanently closed? Remember when you may have said to yourself "Wow, that came out of nowhere. I never knew they were considering closing."

It's that.

Shutting down an operation is almost always done in this fashion because to announce such a decision ahead of time is seldom to the company's advantage.

Of course, this is just speculation and should be regarded as such.