Old BlackBerry phones will stop working from January 4

BlackBerry Key2 LE in a hand
BlackBerry Key2 LE in a hand, which won't lose support (Image credit: Future)

Own an older BlackBerry phone? You will likely soon find your handset unusable as certain devices from the company won't be able to make phone calls, send SMS messages and complete other functions from January 4.

BlackBerry has confirmed it is dropping support for BlackBerry OS devices, but this doesn't impact more recent devices from the company that run Android software.

A statement from the company said, "The legacy services for BlackBerry 7.1 OS and earlier, BlackBerry 10 software, BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.1 and earlier versions, will no longer be available after January 4, 2022.  

"As of this date, devices running these legacy services and software through either carrier or Wi-Fi connections will no longer reliably function, including for data, phone calls, SMS and 9-1-1 functionality."

The last device to run this software was introduced in 2015, which was the BlackBerry Leap. This means anyone using these older devices will find their devices are at best unreliable, and at their worst they will be unusable as a mobile phone.

If you own a BlackBerry device running Android software, those will continue to get support.

The BlackBerry brand has now been sold to a company called Onward Mobility that has said it will continue to makes devices with the name. It has previously promised a 5G BlackBerry device in 2021, but it's now thought that'll be introduced in 2022.


Analysis: Inevitable, but frustrating for some

Older BlackBerry devices losing support isn't a huge surprise, and it's unlikely many of these devices are still in use. Nevertheless, it is a sad turn of events for those who like using these unique devices.

2015 was the last time we saw a BlackBerry OS device, and while that is a long time in the world of smartphones it isn't a huge amount of time for those who want to remain with the same smartphone for a long time.

It would have been feasible to buy a BlackBerry OS device in 2017 or so brand new, so that would only be around four years of use before the phone lost all support for basic functionality.

BlackBerry's message here is also clear that it won't be usable, rather than it just losing access to certain features. It'll mean you can't even reliably phone the emergency services, so this will be unuasable for the average person.

Via Phone Arena

James Peckham

James is the Editor-in-Chief at Android Police. Previously, he was Senior Phones Editor for TechRadar, and he has covered smartphones and the mobile space for the best part of a decade bringing you news on all the big announcements from top manufacturers making mobile phones and other portable gadgets. James is often testing out and reviewing the latest and greatest mobile phones, smartwatches, tablets, virtual reality headsets, fitness trackers and more. He once fell over.

Read more
Google Pixel 9 Pro
Your next Android phone could get up to eight years of software updates – but there are catches
Samsung Galaxy S25 home screen
Samsung just quietly retired its Google Messages rival, and not everyone will be happy about it
A Microsoft Surface Laptop being shown at Microsoft's Copilot Plus PC Showcase
Microsoft is officially cutting support for Office apps on Windows 10, so update now
Honor Magic 7 Pro being held in the hand
Honor matches Apple, Samsung, and Google with new update promise for its flagship phones – but how long is 'too long'?
A woman sitting at a table while using a phone with. She also has a mug near her.
Google and Microsoft aren’t syncing up: why Phone Link might no longer show you sensitive notifications after installing Android 15
A selection of phone cases for Google Pixel phones including a Tech21 phone case
Millions of us say we don't know how to remove data from an old device - here's what to know
Latest in BlackBerry Phones
BlackBerry Torch
How I retrieved 10-year-old photos from a classic BlackBerry Torch
BlackBerry
OnwardMobility shuts down and ends the 5G BlackBerry dream
BlackBerry Key2 LE
Blackberry 5G won't ever release, report claims
BlackBerry Pearl
5 things BlackBerry phones got right (and 5 things they didn’t)
BlackBerry Key2 LE in a hand
BlackBerry 5G phone is still coming – and possibly soon
Astro Slide
Waiting for the Blackberry 5G? The Astro Slide could be a good alternative
Latest in News
Google DeepMind panel discussion
“More sovereignty and protection” - Google goes all-in on UK AI with data residency, upskilling projects, and startup investments
An image of the Nintendo Switch 2
Nintendo Switch 2 could have AI upscaling similar to PS5 Pro’s PSSR according to patent, and it could be a gamechanger for graphics on the upcoming console
PowerColor Red Devil AMD RX 9070 XT graphics card shown side-on
Your next GPU could be from AMD, not Nvidia, if Team Red’s success with PC gamers continues
Quordle on a smartphone held in a hand
Quordle hints and answers for Tuesday, March 18 (game #1149)
NYT Strands homescreen on a mobile phone screen, on a light blue background
NYT Strands hints and answers for Tuesday, March 18 (game #380)
NYT Connections homescreen on a phone, on a purple background
NYT Connections hints and answers for Tuesday, March 18 (game #646)