BlackBerry smartphones which might be being bought by TCL Communication will quickly say goodbye to the market because the Chinese language producer has introduced that it might be parting methods with the Canadian model as early as August this . Present BlackBerry smartphone customers would, nevertheless, proceed to obtain after-sales companies till August 31, 2022. In 2016, the Shenzhen-based firm signed an settlement to fabricate and promote BlackBerry smartphones — after BlackBerry determined to shift its focus from the smartphone market. The BlackBerry KEYone, BlackBerry KEY2, and BlackBerry Movement are amongst the BlackBerry handsets which might be being designed, manufactured, and bought by TCL Communication in main markets.
“The assist of BlackBerry Limited was an important aspect to bringing units like BlackBerry KEYone, Movement, KEY2, and KEY2 LE to life and we’re proud to have partnered with them these previous few years on these tasks. We do remorse to share nevertheless that as of August, 31, 2020, TCL Communication will now not be promoting BlackBerry-branded cell units,” the corporate famous in a press release posted on Twitter.
In December 2016, TCL Communication signed the licensing cope with BlackBerry to start out designing, manufacturing, and promoting BlackBerry-branded smartphones in world markets. That announcement was a follow-up of the revelation that the Waterloo-based firm made by specifying its plans to outsource the event of BlackBerry telephones in September 2016.
By means of TCL Communication, the smartphone market obtained Android-based BlackBerry telephones, together with the BlackBerry KEYone and BlackBerry KEY2 that each featured a bodily keyboard alongside a touchscreen panel. The final telephone that the Chinese language firm dropped at the market was the BlackBerry KEY 2 LE that was unveiled in August 2018 and debuted in the Indian market in October 2018.
TCL Communication in its assertion talked about that it was “blessed sufficient” to work on BlackBerry smartphones. Nevertheless, some on-line experiences highlighted that the corporate was pissed off and was set to surrender for fairly a while.
Present BlackBerry smartphone customers are promised to obtain customer support and guarantee till August 31, 2022, including “or for so long as required by native legal guidelines the place the cell gadget was bought.” It’s unclear whether or not the customer support contains any future software program updates, although.
“The longer term is shiny for each TCL Communication and BlackBerry Restricted, and we hope you will proceed to supply assist each as we transfer forward on our respective paths,” the assertion added.
Other than BlackBerry, TCL Communication has different licensed manufacturers on board, together with Alcatel and Palm. The most recent transfer is not prone to affect units provided by these manufacturers.
TCL Communication was notably providing BlackBerry smartphones to pick out markets, excluding India. In actual fact, BlackBerry in February 2017 partnered with Optiemus Infracom to particularly produce and promote its Android handsets in India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Bangladesh. In Indonesia, it had tied up with BB Merah Putih.
Devices 360 made a number of makes an attempt to get readability from Optiemus Infracom on whether or not it might proceed to fabricate and promote BlackBerry smartphones in its working markets. The corporate, nevertheless, did not present any express response till the time of submitting this story.
The final smartphone that Optiemus Infracom dropped at the Indian market was the BlackBerry KEY2 LE. It additionally launched the BlackBerry Power Wireless Charging Pad within the nation in March 2019.
Given the continued circumstances, the way forward for BlackBerry smartphones is certainly at the hours of darkness. TCL Communication, however, could leverage its experiences with BlackBerry-branded units to develop its native presence within the smartphone market. The corporate is already rumoured to have a foldable smartphone within the works that would debut quickly to tackle the likes of the Motorola Razr (2019) and Samsung Galaxy Fold.