BlackBerry Ends Android Smartphone Era as TCL Partnership Concludes
BlackBerry officially discontinues all current Android smartphones, ending sales by August 2020 as its partnership with TCL comes to a close.
BlackBerry officially ends its run in the Android smartphone market by discontinuing all current models, with sales halting completely on August 31, 2020. This decision marks the conclusion of the brand's licensing partnership with TCL, which produces devices featuring the iconic physical QWERTY keyboards that define the modern BlackBerry Android era.
Despite the initial excitement surrounding devices like the BlackBerry KeyOne and Key2, the lineup ultimately struggles to maintain significant market momentum. TCL confirms that existing devices continue to receive customer service and warranty support until August 2022, though the future of Android software updates for these phones remains uncertain.
The shutdown frees up TCL to focus entirely on launching its own branded smartphones this year, leaving BlackBerry without a hardware manufacturer. While the announcement explicitly states TCL no longer holds the rights to make new BlackBerry devices, it leaves a slight possibility open for BlackBerry itself or another company to revive the brand in the future.