What you need to know

• Legacy BlackBerry devices are set to reach end of life on January 4.
• Devices running BlackBerry 7.1 OS and earlier may no longer be able to reliably make phone calls, access data, or send text messages.
• BlackBerry Android devices will not be affected by the EOL of the company's infrastructure services.

BlackBerry is about to put the final nail in the coffin of its legacy devices. As announced by the company in September last year, legacy services for BlackBerry 7.1 OS and earlier, BlackBerry 10 software, BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.1 and earlier versions won't be available after January 4, 2022.

All BlackBerry devices running legacy software and services may no longer be able to perform basic functions such as making phone calls, sending text messages, or calling 9-1-1. Users will also not be able to access data through either Wi-Fi or their carrier.

BlackBerry's best Android phones, on the other hand, will continue to work after the EOL date. However, if you're still receiving redirected emails sent to an email address hosted by BlackBerry, you'll need to shift to a new email address.

BlackBerry, which dominated the U.S. market before Apple launched the iPhone in 2007, is now primarily a "cybersecurity company." Just a few months after TCL announced the BlackBerry Key2 LE, BlackBerry completed its $1.4 billion acquisition of AI cybersecurity company Cylance.

Back in August 2020, the BlackBerry brand was licensed by a Texas startup called OnwardMobility. The startup had promised to launch a new Android-powered BlackBerry phone with a QWERTY keyboard and 5G support in 2021, but we haven't heard anything about the device since it launched a "pre-commitment" program.

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