Blackberry on death watch

Was it really only two years ago that buying a Blackberry seemed like a serious option? Fortunately, many avoided spending their money on one. It seems so many made the same decision that the company’s days now appear numbered.

At the time, the Blackberry was positioned as a practical solution for owning a phone capable of handling email. For a brief period, it seemed like the most viable option. However, for individual buyers in New Zealand, accessing Blackberry’s email service came with significant additional costs, which likely deterred many potential customers.

Blackberry had notable strengths. It excelled at email when few phones did. When Android phones were new and plagued with bugs, they weren’t particularly attractive. The iPhone was a possibility and tested by many, but it didn’t win everyone over.

One of Blackberry’s main selling points was its tiny qwerty keyboard, which appealed to those familiar with touch typing. Yet, after testing the device, it became clear that the keyboard’s promise didn’t quite match its practicality.

In hindsight, delaying the purchase of a smartphone during that period seemed prudent. On the other hand, Blackberry’s decision not to reinvent its product line or refresh its value proposition may have sealed its fate. The company’s survival into the future looked increasingly doubtful.