The history of BlackBerry: from pager to legendary smartphones and collapse

When we talk about smartphones, most often for some reason devices from Samsung, Apple, HTC, LG and other competing companies that produce touch phones who can literally do everything. And the BlackBerry brand, which represents smartphones no worse, is heard less and less often.

We will talk about what Blackberry is and why this product of the Canadian company deserves special attention in this article. We will also reveal the main features of the newest models of this brand and their prices in electronics stores. Here are some reviews from buyers of these devices.

General overview

So, as already noted, they are releasing mobile devices Canadian developer RIM. In general, every Blackberry smartphone deserves attention for the reason that the company has its own corporate style.

Let's take a look, for example, at popular modern smartphones. They have a rectangular shape, a large screen, the same layout of navigation keys and in almost all cases operating Android system or iOS. Only Nokia can boast of uniqueness with its Lumia Windows Phone. That's it, you won't find anything else on the phone market!

In this case, Blackberry should be highlighted separately. The phone is equipped with a QWERTY keyboard, which is not used on most smartphones. The company has developed its own style - black color, strict tone lines. Finally, the phones are not copies of other devices, but the developers should be given credit for this!

Advantages

You can also list some of these devices. For example, your own operating system. Due to the fact that the Blackberry smartphone does not run on Android, it responds perfectly to the owner’s touches, does not slow down and does not allow delays when performing tasks.

In addition, if you don’t yet know what BlackBerry is, it’s worth mentioning a special encrypted method. Due to this, all the information that is on your BlackBerry device is strictly classified. Add here the functions of setting passwords for folders and files - and you get perfect phone for government members and different levels.

Another important point- full keyboard. Agree, this is a rather bold decision that most mobile device developers did not dare to take. Due to this, the Blackberry device (we will publish reviews about the company later) is convenient tool for sending mail, correspondence and browsing the Internet anywhere!

The advantages of the devices also include attractive design, build quality, materials used in the device body, as well as reliable and durable service.

Failures

It cannot be said that the BlackBerry brand is very successful in the smartphone market. The troubles began in 2013, when after the release of the Z10 model, the developer company suffered serious losses of almost $800 million. At that time, there was talk of cutting almost 40% of the company's staff and closing the production of 2 out of 6 models. Information was circulated in the media about the possible sale of the company to the smartphone market giant Samsung.

As we can see, the company survived the crisis, but it has not yet managed to regain its leadership position in the telephone industry.

Popular models

Today the most popular are touch models Z3, Z10, Z20, as well as keypads 9900, 9320, Classic, Passport, Q5, Q10. All of them are on free sale. The models operate on BlackBerry OS. Thus, applications that will run on these devices can be found on BlackBerry App World (the same program directory as Google Play or Appstore).

Prices

The cost of the models is quite varied: from Blackberry you can find both a middle-class phone and one that belongs to the premium segment. For example, LEAP costs 20 thousand rubles, it is a business smartphone with a diagonal of 5 inches. A simpler-looking phone with a physical keyboard, model 9720, will cost 14 thousand rubles. And its screen also recognizes touches (albeit smaller in size).

Another inexpensive device is the BlackBerry Q5. The device costs only 13 thousand rubles, and it has quite good technical specifications, capable of satisfying most users.

There is also the Blackberry 9900, which is externally made in the typical style of the brand - a physical keyboard combined with touch screen. The model costs 20 thousand rubles. In this case, the buyer can choose the color of the device.

If we talk about premium phones, we should mention the BlackBerry P"9983 Porsche Design, which costs 95 thousand rubles. Expensive materials are used in the decoration of the phone, which can explain its cost. It can also be considered not the most affordable BlackBerry phone Passport - the device is made in an unusual square shape and costs 35 thousand.

The company's headquarters are located in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.

In fiscal year 2017, the company's revenue was $1.3 billion.

Story

At first, the company focused on engineering tasks. Since 1988, he began working mainly on wireless data transmission. Then RIM collaborated with Ericsson and RAM Mobile Data (English) Russian to use technology wireless transmission data in the paging networks existing at that time. A notable device was the Inter@ctive pager 950, which competed with products from Motorola, the industry leader.

On July 27, 2016, the company introduced the BlackBerry DTEK50 Android smartphone with programs and add-ons designed to protect user data.

October: BlackBerry abandons its own smartphone production. Even the partial abandonment of its operating system in favor of Android did not help the Canadian manufacturer; the disappointing results of financial reports affected it. The company will still remain in this market segment, but the production of new devices will be carried out by partners. BlackBerry itself will focus on software development, which is the area of ​​activity that currently keeps the company afloat.

Financial indicators

Mergers and acquisitions

On January 30, 2013, as a result of rebranding, the company changed its name to BlackBerry.

Management

Logo

The company changed 1 logo. The current one is the 2nd in a row.

• From 1984 to 2013, the logo was the abbreviation "RIM" blue color and in a strict font, inside it are three white boomerangs.
• From 2013 to the present, the logo is seven black semicircles, to the right of them the word “BlackBerry” is black and the font has changed.

Notes

1. May 26, 2012 - Canada’s RIM to cut at least 2000 jobs – report, Reuters(May 26, 2012).
2. Research in Motion has renamed itself to BlackBerry // lenta.ru

Gadget manufacturers

The firm was founded by Waterloo student and Istanbul native Mike Lazaridis in 1984. Initially, it was called Research In Motion (RIM), and it was she who was destined to develop and release the BlackBerry device. However, this was still a long way off.

The future founder of the company, university rector and officer was born into a family of ethnic Pontian Greeks, and at the age of five he moved with them to Canada. As a teenager, he showed an unusual interest in science and technology. At the age of twelve, Lazaridis received a prize from the public library in Windsor for having read all of its scientific books.

Having matured, Mike entered the University of Waterloo to study computer science and electrical engineering. In a few years, he will take on a project for General Motors, thanks to which he will earn $500 thousand. This will be followed by the conclusion of a contract and a small grant from the government. In 1984, the company Research In Motion was founded together with University of Windsor engineering student Douglas Fregin.

The company's early years were funded by Canadian institutional and venture capital investors in 1995. The first venture investments were designed to complete the development of a two-way paging system hardware and software Research In Motion.

Before the company's initial public offering on the Toronto Stock Exchange, it raised only $30 million. Together with Ericsson and RAM Mobile Data, RIM specialists worked on wireless network Mobitex, which would do possible transfer data in two directions, as well as over a wireless email network.

In the summer of 1998, the Inter@ctive Pager 950 went on sale.

In 1999, Research In Motion introduced a device called the BlackBerry 850 pager. It was named so because one of the engineers drew a parallel between the tiny lacquered keys and blackberries. The developers liked the name and decided to use it in the future.

Thanks to its own additional server software, the device could receive push notifications from the Microsoft server. This invention laid the foundation for the company's future products. At the same time, work began on creating the first mobile device.

In the spring of 2000, the BlackBerry 957 appeared - the company's first smartphone. It ran on the BlackBerry OS platform, and was actively used in business and government agencies.

That same year, Lazaridis received an honorary doctorate in engineering from the University of Waterloo. Three years will pass, and he will be able to receive the position of rector, and after a few years he will become an officer of the Canadian Order and the Order of Ontario.

Soon, the future Blackberry company (at that time still RIM) began developing mobile devices aimed at the consumer market. The first smartphone of the new model was the BlackBerry Pearl 8100. It was equipped with multimedia functions, including a camera. The Pearl series turned out to be quite successful. The number of BlackBerry users has been growing around the world.

At the same time, the company is releasing a device without a QWERTY keyboard. The 8700 series will be noteworthy in that the devices will be equipped with increased memory, chat, a camera and a better screen. In 2007, the company began producing communicators.

Interesting fact: During his election campaign in 2007-2008, Barack Obama constantly used a BlackBerry communicator, and since then this device has become an integral part of the image of the future president.

By the way, according to the law, American presidents are prohibited from using personal communications devices, and therefore immediately after taking office he had to abandon the device. Later, a loophole in the law was found, and Obama was still able to win the right to use his personal smartphone BlackBerry.

This was argued by the fact that in the event of legal proceedings in which the head of state is involved, his personal correspondence cannot be used, and therefore he has the right to use his own email account.

The first iPhone was released in 2007.

One way or another, he was called the "BlackBerry killer" by the media. This was the impetus for Research In Motion to create their first touch-screen smartphone. It was BlackBerry Storm. This smartphone sold well, but there were many bad reviews about it.

In addition, the company faced criticism from the media, accusing it that the operating system it used was outdated and would not be able to withstand competition. Be that as it may, in the fall of 2010, the BlackBerry user base in the United States reached 21 million people.

The main competitors remained devices Google Android and iPhone as they also continued their accelerated growth. The BlackBerry line was still successful, but it didn't make much of a splash in the international market. All this forced its creators to turn to new platforms.

Among the new competitors was the Windows Phone OS.

They also noted that RIM was unable to continue its successful operations as a separate company. Fortunately, BlackBerry was able to retain some of its positions, backed by its established user base and cost-effective plans. Additionally, the smartphone market has continued to grow across the globe.

While Research In Motion's secure networks remained attractive to corporate clients, their phones were less attractive to the average consumer. All this caused mass layoffs of employees in 2011. In addition, in September of the same year, another unpleasant event occurred: BlackBerry's Internet server suffered extensive outages.

This event (simultaneously with the announcement of the iPhone 4S) led to a massive outflow of users. However, RIM responded quickly. In October she presented new platform BBX, which was supposed to run future BlackBerry smartphones. This was followed by accusations of the trademark borrowing the BBX name. That is why the platform was renamed BlackBerry 10.

In September, the company announced the release of the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet, which was surrounded by many rumors. It was the first device to run the QNX platform, also known as BlackBerry Tablet OS. In 2011, the tablet was officially presented to American and Canadian customers.

In early 2012, Mike Lazaris and Jim Balsillie stepped down as CEOs, handing over the reins to CEO Thorsten Heyns. RIM soon suffered heavy losses, and Haynes decided to restructure. He fired many employees and replaced some executives, and also delayed the release of the BlackBerry 10 platform.

After much criticism, the company officially announced a new operating system and two smartphones under its control – BlackBerry Z10 and Q10. This happened at the beginning of 2013. The BlackBerry Z10 smartphone was first introduced in January 2013 and went on sale in the UK to begin with.

It was equipped with a display high resolution and a dual-core processor. Following this, its presentation took place in the USA. The company sought to become No. 1, using its own developments in the process of creating its own operating system (rather than adapting its devices to other platforms). They should be given credit for this.

During the launch of BlackBerry 10, another important event took place: the company formerly known as Research In Motion was renamed the BlackBerry company. All this allowed us to create our own brand and attract attention to smartphones. Moreover, most customers already called the manufacturer of their devices nothing other than BlackBerry.

In the fall of 2013, the company is engaged in direct sales in the United States. Unlocked Q10 and Z10 smartphones are sold directly from the BlackBerry website. Both devices ran BlackBerry 10 OS.

The Z10 smartphone was also equipped with a QWERTY keyboard.

In May 2014, Blackberry introduced Z3 smartphones at a reduced cost to the Indonesian market, where the brand was particularly popular. The device was created jointly with Taiwanese manufacturer Foxconn (they were responsible for its design and distribution). Unfortunately, it was still more expensive than most Android models.

Among the most notable smartphones of 2014 is the BlackBerry Passport with a QWERTY keyboard and a square touchscreen display. This device ran BlackBerry OS version 10.3. In just the first six hours after the start of its sales, over 200 thousand smartphones were sold.

Another great invention of the company that same year was the fully touchscreen BlackBerry Rio smartphone. It had no hardware buttons at all.

What will happen to the company next? In June 2014, CNN published an article in which it was named one of the disappearing brands in the United States. Even heading into 2015, as BlackBerry continues to grow globally, investors and members of the media are seriously concerned about whether it can compete mobile platforms like Android.

One way or another, it still remains a large and well-known telecommunications company, as well as a manufacturer of communicators that have managed to carve out their own niche in the market. Modern smartphone BlackBerry has the ability to surf the web and work with email. In addition, it interacts with other remote services.

What is so remarkable about BlackBerry business smartphones? Many of them are equipped with a full-format QWERTY keyboard, and therefore it is very convenient for their owners to work with texts and enter data. Smartphones are also reliably protected thanks to the built-in message protection system.

BlackBerry (blackberry translated from English  - “blackberry”) is a wireless communicator first introduced in 1997 by Research In Motion.

Description [ | ]

Story [ | ]

The history of BlackBerry devices begins in 1984 with the founding of Research In Motion in Canada.

Since its founding, the company has specialized in the production of devices for wireless data transmission. The devices made it possible to type and send any text to other similar devices. Outwardly they resembled pagers.

In 1997, RIM decided to promote these devices under a new brand, the creation of which was entrusted to Lexicon Branding Inc., known for developing the Pentium and Zune brands. The company's specialists decided that devices with small keyboard buttons look like strawberries. But the English word “strawberry” was considered difficult for foreigners. As a result, we decided to use the simpler “blackberry”. The name turned out to be very successful - many BlackBerry users do not even suspect that it is trademark products, not the name of the manufacturing company.

In 1999, work was underway to create the first mobile phone.

In 2000, the 957 Proton phone appears.

In 2004 it appears with a color display. This model opened the 7000 series. Many devices in this series have Bluetooth functionality.

At the same time, the company is experimenting and releasing a BlackBerry without a QWERTY keyboard.

With the advent of the 8700 series models, BlackBerry begins to expand its range of consumers. To achieve this, new devices are equipped with a higher-quality display, expanded memory, a camera, chat and applications.

In May 2013, smartphones based on BlackBerry 10 were approved by the US Department of Defense for corporate use by department employees.

At the end of September 2016, Blackberry announced that it no longer plans to produce smartphones. It is reported that the company will focus on software development, while its Chinese partners will manufacture smartphones.

On December 14, 2017, it was announced that the BlackBerry Travel website would close in February 2018, the Playbook video calling service in March 2018, and the BlackBerry World app store on December 31, 2019.

2007 2008-2009

On April 1, the official launch of BlackBerry World took place - an online store of mobile software for smartphones.

In September, the company announced the release of a tablet computer called PlayBook.

2011 2013 2014

• BlackBerry DTEK 50 BlackBerry DTEK 60

• BlackBerry KeyOne BlackBerry Motion BlackBerry Motion Dual Sim BlackBerry Aurora

• BlackBerry Key2 BlackBerry Evolve BlackBerry Evolve X BlackBerry KEY2 LE(light)

Features of business smartphone technologies[ | ]

Many BlackBerry smartphones have a full-size QWERTY keyboard, which simplifies data entry and text processing. It is possible to receive, save, edit and send attachments in the following formats: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF, WordPerfect, ASCII text, HTML and ZIP, as well as graphic: JPG, BMP, GIF, PNG, TIFF.

Distinctive feature smartphones is the use of a special server (Blackberry Enterprise Server, BES) and AES encryption capabilities to protect messages from interception.

The operating principle of BlackBerry email networks is based on the fact that after registering a communicator on a network that has BlackBerry coverage, the system registers and then recognizes each individual BlackBerry communicator individually identification number(PIN). A unique number available for each device allows for the transmission of PIN messages (peer-to-peer system). Such messages arrive from the sending device to the receiving device instantly, and in addition, the system writes a report on the delivery of such messages. In addition, the device automatically highlights the header of PIN messages in red. The BlackBerry Messenger application also uses peer-to-peer technology, but the application's operating algorithm resembles that of well-known Internet instant messengers such as ICQ or AOL.

The intermediaries between the sender and the recipient are the RIM network operations center, where the servers are installed, and the mobile operator. This does not require manual synchronization of the smartphone and mail server. In order to save Internet traffic and achieve “instantaneous” data transfer, the company uses algorithms

IN modern world communication is very important. For many, the opportunity to view email outside the office, internet page, commit telephone conversations This is the key to successful work. It is not surprising that this particular area is constantly being improved, surprising each year with more and more convenient and powerful devices. Thanks to the ever-growing demand for such devices and services, RIM was founded in 1984, which a few years later released some of the most reliable and convenient smartphones in the world. This is how the BlackBerry brand was born.

What is Blackberry?

Now BlackBerry is a communicator that combines excellent telephone and Internet communications. This device appeared in Russia only in 2008 due to delays associated with the FSB.

There are several models of this communicator that can provide reliable communication to any client. All of them are distinguished by their versatility, practicality, reliability and modern appearance. The combination of these qualities has made the BlackBerry brand one of the most popular in the world.

Blackberry models

The best solution for business is the BlackBerry Bold model. This smartphone provides its owners with excellent communication quality, which is ensured by the operation of a 3G radio transmitter. This is a new word in the field cellular networks, superior in quality to the GSM format we are used to. High quality communication is explained by the fact that all sounds go through significantly less compression, plus this communication format is also more high speed networks.

If you give great value sound quality, then this model will give you the opportunity to feel the difference between the voice transmission that it provides regular smartphone and the one provided by BlackBerry. The only drawback is that the new type of communication is practically not widespread in Russia. The 3G format is available in St. Petersburg and is being introduced in Moscow. Someday it will appear in the most remote corners of the country, but not as fast as we would like. In any case, this universal device can be used anywhere where there is a cellular connection of the usual format, since it supports the GSM network.

This model is equipped with a large, convenient display with a screen resolution of 480x320 pixels. This allows you to display both text and graphic information. The keyboard is designed specifically for quick and comfortable typing of letters and numbers; it allows you to reproduce even quite long texts with maximum convenience. We can say that this is the main difference between this model and all previous ones. In addition, the BlackBerry Bold smartphone has a 624 MHz processor. The appearance of the device can work to maintain the business image of a successful leader, which is so valued in our country.

Now you have a chance to purchase a smartphone that is practically incomparable home computer. It is convenient, has all the necessary applications, such as MS Office and the ability to install many others necessary for work, including a proprietary operating system for convenient and secure work on the Internet.

The most modern and multifunctional model is BlackBerry Storm. This model has fundamental differences from other models released under the Blackberry brand. Its popularity is so high that it is considered a direct competitor to the famous iPhone smartphone.

This model is also equipped large size display with a resolution of 480x360 pixels. The advantage of such a phone is its high-resolution touch display. The smartphone works both in the 3G network and in the GRS zone. It is equipped with a fairly powerful 3.2 MP camera. Using this model, you can not only print easily and quickly, but also copy text, surf the Internet fast mode. Its only drawback is the lack of Wi-Fi. But this is compensated by other capabilities of the smartphone - availability of Bluetooth. In addition, it has all the necessary qualities of a modern communicator. You will be able to listen to music, process files, surf the Internet, take photographs, correspond with friends and colleagues, and make calls. And his beautiful appearance will be able to actively work for you.

There are other popular versions of Blackberry smartphones, for example, BlackBerry Curve, BlackBerry 8820. Their differences are minor, but they all meet the basic requirements modern users powerful and compact communicators. It is safe to say that this device will become very popular in Russia in the near future.