BlackBerry News And Updates: Once-Dominant Smartphone Firm Gearing Up For Last Stand? [VIDEO]
BlackBerry's smartphone business might be on its last legs, but its loyal fanbase has earned the respect and admiration of analysts and critics alike. Indeed, over the years, a number of loyal BlackBerry fans have stuck to their aging handsets and resisted the move towards more mainstream mobile platforms such as iOS and Android.
Most of BlackBerry's fans are unanimous in a number of notions. According to them, there is just no handset from Apple or Samsung or any other mainstream mobile competitor that comes close to the voice sound quality, centralized notification hub and physical keyboard of a BlackBerry. The Canadian firm's fans include notable personalities too, with U.S. President Barack Obama being one of them.
Even prominent celebrity Kim Kardashian, who is in the spotlight practically 24/7, is noted as a BlackBerry fan. The celebrity has even previously stated that she buys old BlackBerry units off eBay in order to make sure that she has a steady supply of the classic, beloved handsets.
Indeed, as of March this year, there are still about 23 million people in the world still using BlackBerry phones. Though this number is only a third from the previous year's statistics, the notable continued loyalty of BlackBerry's fan base is admirable just the same.
However, there is no denying that BlackBerry's smartphone business is in dire straits. When the firm decided to jump over to Android with its latest flagship device, the BlackBerry Priv, many dedicated fans ended up being alienated by the new mobile OS.
Support for BB10, BlackBerry's latest iteration of its native OS, is also in its twilight months, with the Canadian smartphone maker stating that it would be supporting the mobile OS only until the end of the year.
However, the once-dominant smartphone maker has not given up yet. In its latest effort to try to turn its luck around, BlackBerry announced on Tuesday that it would be opening a pop-up store right in the heart of New York City, just a few steps from the World Trade Center in Brookfield.
Notably, the location of its latest store appears to be targeting the demographic that made BlackBerry such as huge success in the past - the business market.
Indeed, BlackBerry might still have a few tricks up its sleeve before the final curtain is definitively drawn.
