The termination of the BlackBerry handset business marks the end of an era for a brand once considered a key market leader in its category.
Fourteen years into its phone-making history, BlackBerry has moved to discontinue its production of handsets. The decision is largely influenced by the rise of the touchscreen phenomenon in recent years. The company had earlier said that by September, it would know if the business would become profitable.
But with Apple and Samsung leading the mobile charge, the brand has opted to drop out of the race and move on to greener pastures. The closure is being followed up with a realigned strategy that involves a renewed focus on software development, alongside plans to outsource the manufacture of hardware.
Currently positioned to up the ante on security and applications, the Canadian tech giant is preparing to end all internal hardware generation and transfer said function to outside partners. The transition is necessary to help the group reduce its capital requirements, and instead, enhance return on investment.
