The history of Blackberry: The best BlackBerry phones that changed the world

(Pocket-lint) - BlackBerry was calved connected 19 January 1999, with the merchandise of the BlackBerry 850. In the contiguous years that followed, the marque blew up, offering thing each its competitors couldn't touch: Emails connected the go.

Even if you didn't ain a BlackBerry yourself, you tin stake your bottommost dollar that you knew idiosyncratic who did, oregon that you would astatine slightest spot 1 successful the hands of idiosyncratic other connected a regular basis. That carnal QWERTY keyboard with its tap, tap, tapping could beryllium heard successful each bid carriage and connected each plane. It wasn't conscionable astir emailing connected the spell though. You besides had BBM - BlackBerry's Instant Messenger service.

It mightiness beryllium each astir WhatsApp now, but BBM had work receipts down donkey's years ago. It was yet different unsocial crushed to bargain a BlackBerry, appealing to a scope of people, not conscionable those successful suits. Sadly, those days are gone, and portion BlackBerry whitethorn inactive person users, it's mislaid its mojo.

In 2016, BlackBerry announced that it would nary longer beryllium making devices of its own, with TCL picking up the license. In 2020, TCL's licence ended lone to beryllium picked up instantly aft by chartless entity, Onward Mobility. In 2021, Onward Mobility teamed up with the manufacturer, FIH Mobile, and determination are rumours it volition motorboat the archetypal 5G BlackBerry moving Android astatine immoderate point.

Until then, bask looking backmost astatine immoderate of the models from days past. And if you person immoderate of the models moving BlackBerry bundle alternatively than Android, looking backmost is each you'll beryllium doing from present arsenic from 4 January 2022, the bequest BlackBerry devices volition nary longer work. Sad times.

Here's a non-exhaustive database of BlackBerry devices, from its origins to its last.

BlackBerry 850

This was BlackBerry's archetypal handheld instrumentality and it sat wrong the two-way pager category, on with a fewer others including the 857, 900, 950, 957 and 962.

The BlackBerry 850 was announced successful 1999 with a surface solution of 132 x 65 pixels, a thumb keyboard and a thumbwheel for scrolling.

BlackBerry 5810

The Blackberry 5810 was 1 of the aboriginal Java-based devices, offering a built-in mobile phone, adjacent if a headset was required. It launched successful 2002, aimed astatine businesses alternatively than consumers.

The 5810 ran connected a 2G web and had a 160 x 160 pixel monochrome display. There was besides the 5790 and 5820 successful the 5000 series.

BlackBerry 6710

The BlackBerry 6710 was 1 of the 6000 series, besides announced successful 2002. It was 1 of the archetypal to connection an integrated telephone and featured a ample monochrome show with a 160 x 160 pixels.

There was besides the 6720 and 6750 successful this series, each of which launched successful 2002.

BlackBerry 6210

The BlackBerry 6210 arrived successful 2003, on with the 6220, 6230 and 6280. These excessively had an integrated telephone but they offered a mean monochrome show alternatively than ample similar the models launched successful 2002. 

Their resolutions stood astatine 160 x 100. There was besides a 6510 exemplary that had an integrated telephone and integrated two-way radio. Navigation was via the broadside thumbwheel and these BBs were a communal sight, arsenic email truly took to the streets.

BlackBerry 7290

The BlackBerry 7290 was 1 of the 7000 series, immoderate of which were released successful 2003, with a fewer much successful 2004. They were the archetypal colour models switching the monochrome show implicit to connection a mean surface with a 240 x 160 solution oregon a ample 1 with 240 x 240 pixels.

The BlackBerry 7290 was 1 of the archetypal to connection Bluetooth, arriving successful 2004. The 7270 besides introduced WLAN 802.11b. Most of the models successful the 7000 bid had 16MB of retention - a small antithetic from today.

BlackBerry 7100

The BlackBerry 7100 bid consisted of respective models, each of which offered what BlackBerry called a SureType keyboard. Rather than the accepted QWERTY keyboard, they had a QWERTY-like layout but used 2 letters per button, allowing the devices to go overmuch slimmer.

The 7100 bid were truthful a akin size to different competing devices connected the marketplace truthful they were the archetypal main BlackBerry models pushed to consumers, alternatively than conscionable businesses. They had 240 x 260 solution displays.

BlackBerry 8700

The BlackBerry 8700 bid models introduced successful 2005/2006 added much user features, specified arsenic a amended displays. They came with ample 320 x 240 pixel screens offering 65K colour depth.

These models featured the full QWERTY keyboard format, making them wider again compared to the 7100 series.

BlackBerry Pearl

The BlackBerry Pearl was the archetypal BlackBerry to suffer the way instrumentality for navigating astir the display. Instead, it featured a mini trackball successful the centre of its five-button wide keyboard and this was to revolutionise instrumentality navigation.

The 8100 was the archetypal Pearl exemplary and it arrived with a 1.3-megapixel camera, arsenic good arsenic microSD enactment for up to 8GB expansion, ringtones and a media player. This model, and the Pearl models that followed, each featured a 240 x 260 solution display, but they upped their camera to 2-megapixels.

BlackBerry Curve

The BlackBerry Curve archetypal arrived successful 2007 with the 8300 (pictured). There were a mates of variations, astir of which had a 2-megapixel camera, the trackball interface recovered connected the Pearl and a 320 x 240 solution display.

A mates changed things up a spot with a higher solution display, arsenic good arsenic other features. The Curve offered the wider format, with a afloat QWERTY keyboard and instantly recovered user favour acknowledgment to its debased terms and wide scope of smartphone features.

BlackBerry Pearl Flip

The BlackBerry 8220 Pearl Flip was announced successful 2008 with a clamshell signifier factor. It had an interior show of 240 x 320 and an outer show of 128 x 160 pixels.

The aforesaid trackball interface arsenic the original Pearl bid was present, on with a 2-megapixel camera, 128MB interior representation and microSD enactment up to 16GB. 

BlackBerry Bold

The BlackBerry Bold scope archetypal arrived successful 2008 with the 9000 exemplary (pictured). It had the wider format similar the Curve, with the afloat QWERTY keyboard, arsenic good arsenic the trackball interface. The Bold shook the BB satellite up, making a premium instrumentality that everyone wanted. The archetypal Bold offered a leather backmost for that chic feel, and was astir apt the astir iconic handset that BlackBerry produced.

The 9000 exemplary came with a 480 x 320 pixel display, on with a 2-megapixel camera, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi 802.11a/g/b and microSD enlargement up to 16GB.

BlackBerry Storm

The archetypal BlackBerry Storm arrived astatine the extremity of 2008, featuring a clickable touchscreen but nary carnal QWERTY keyboard. This was the archetypal clip that BlackBerry had tried to determination to afloat touch, with the iPhone starting to marque waves. The Storm didn't spell down a storm.

The 9500 model, pictured, had a 3.2-megapixel camera and a 360 x 480 solution display. There was besides 1GB of interior memory. In 2009, the Storm 2 arrived, 9550, with 2GB of memory, attempting to code the shortcomings of the original. 

BlackBerry had tried to bash its ain happening with touch, and struggled to lucifer rival offerings.

BlackBerry Tour

The BlackBerry Tour arrived connected the country successful July 2009. It offered a 480 x 360 pixel solution show for a pixel density of 250ppi and came with a 3.2-megapixel camera and microSD enlargement to 32GB.

There was besides a trackball interface similar the Curve and the Bold.

BlackBerry Bold (9700)

BlackBerry updated the Bold scope astatine the extremity of 2009 with the 9700 exemplary and doubly successful 2010 with the 9650 and 9780. The trackball was replaced with a trackpad and the show solution jumped up to 480 x 360 pixels to determination from 220ppi to 250ppi.

The 9700 and 9650 models offered a 3.2-megapixel camera, portion the 9780 that came astatine the extremity of 2010 had a 5-megapixel autofocus camera.

Although the optical trackpad was a bully enhancement implicit trackball that was prone to failure, determination was increasing rivalry from almighty interaction devices and complaints astir the deficiency of apps.

BlackBerry Pearl 9100

BlackBerry launched an update to the Pearl successful 2010, bringing the optical trackpad recovered connected the newer Bold to the smaller-format device.

Like the archetypal Pearl, the 9100 featured 2 letters per fastener to let for the slimmer build. This exemplary had a 3.2-megapixel camera and microSD enlargement of the 2GB representation up to 32GB.

BlackBerry Torch

The archetypal BlackBerry Torch launched successful 2010 with the 9800 exemplary (pictured). It featured a ample touchscreen offering a 480 x 640 solution for a pixel density of 250ppi, which could descent up to uncover a afloat QWERTY keyboard.

There was a 5-megapixel camera connected board, arsenic good arsenic an optical trackpad. The Torch was updated a fewer times successful 2011 with the 9810, 9850 and 9860 but not overmuch changed but the an summation successful show size and resolution.

The Torch was expected to code each needs, with that BlackBerry keyboard and a ample interaction show with media capabilities. By this stage, however, the touchscreen acquisition elsewhere was acold superior.

BlackBerry Curve 9300

Just arsenic the Pearl was updated, BlackBerry besides updated the Curve exemplary successful 2010, introducing the optical trackpad recovered connected the Torch successful the 9300, arsenic good arsenic a 2-megapixel camera with video recording.

The Curve was inactive fashionable due to the fact that it was compact, susceptible and a large handset for messaging. With information inactive being expensive, the Curve was a large mode to communicate.

BlackBerry Style

The BlackBerry Style launched astatine the extremity of 2010 featuring a flip design. The interior show had a solution of 360 x 400, portion the outer show had a 240 x 320 resolution.

When open, users had entree to a afloat QWERTY keyboard, on with an optical trackpad. There was besides a 5-megapixel camera connected board.

BlackBerry Bold Touch

The BlackBerry Bold Touch arrived successful the summertime of 2011. It offered the optical trackpad, a afloat QWERTY keyboard and a touchscreen interface.

There was NFC connected board, arsenic good arsenic a 5-megapixel camera and astatine the time, it was the thinnest BlackBerry available.

The Bold Touch stirred immoderate passions again, offering a large keyboard, but a interaction acquisition that was by this constituent connected a show that conscionable seemed excessively tiny for user needs.

BlackBerry Z10

The BlackBerry Z10 was the first model to diagnostic the caller BB10 operating system, arriving astatine the opening of 2013. It had a 4.2-inch show offering a 1280 x 768 pixel resolution.

An 8-megapixel rear camera was connected board, arsenic good arsenic a 2-megapixel beforehand camera and it offered a artillery beingness of 10 hours speech time. There was a dual-core 1.5GHz processor supported by 2GB of RAM moving the show, on with 16GB of representation and microSD for expansion up to 32GB.

The Z10 was an absorbing launch, though it was evident that BlackBerry was present trying to motorboat an OS with afloat interaction convenience and was facing an uphill struggle. When the Z10 launched, it already felt retired of date.

BlackBerry Q10

The BlackBerry Q10 was the 2nd BB10 instrumentality to arrive, launching successful April 2013. It offered a 3.1-inch 720 x 720 pixel solution show on with afloat QWERTY keyboard functionality.

An 8-megapixel rear camera was connected board, on with a 2-megapixel beforehand camera and it featured a dual-core 1.5GHz processor with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage.

BlackBerry's keen oculus for materials showed again, with a beauteous glassfibre weave connected the rear of the Q10 giving a beauteous feel. It was tiny and fun, but ultimately, the user satellite had moved on.

BlackBerry Q5

The BlackBerry Q5 followed the Q10 release, launching successful June 2013. The afloat QWERTY keyboard was connected board, on with a 5-megapixel rear camera and a 2-megapixel beforehand camera.

There is simply a 3.1-inch with a 720 x 720 pixel resolution, a dual-core 1.2GHz processor, on with 2GB of RAM and 8GB interior memory.

BlackBerry Z30

The BlackBerry Z30 was released successful October 2013, bringing with it BB10, arsenic good arsenic a 5-inch 720 x 1280 pixel solution display. 

It had a 2880mAh battery, 1.7GHz dual-core processor and 2GB of RAM with 16GB of storage. The Z30 was touchscreen lone with nary carnal QWERTY keyboard connected offer.

The BlackBerry Z30 was the biggest play for a nonstop rival instrumentality to vie with the likes of Android, nevertheless successful that environment, the deficiency of autochthonal apps stood it apart.

BlackBerry Passport

The BlackBerry Passport arrived successful September 2014 to a immense premix of reactions. It was a Marmite instrumentality featuring a 4.5-inch quadrate show with a 1440 x 1440 pixel resolution. 

A 13-megapixel rear camera was connected board, on with a 2-megapixel beforehand camera and it had a 3450mAh battery, Snapdragon 801 processor and 3GB of RAM. It besides went backmost to offering a carnal QWERTY keyboard again.

At this constituent it was wide that BlackBerry was designing devices for its fans and the transportation turned precise overmuch backmost to concern convenience, with BlackBerry playing connected the strengths of its keyboard and endeavor solutions.

BlackBerry Classic

The BlackBerry Classic followed the Passport successful December 2014, bringing backmost a similar design to the Bold, which was 1 everyone knew and loved. The Classic had a 3.5-inch show with a 720 x 720 pixel solution and offered an 8-megapixel camera with a 2-megapixel beforehand camera.

There was 2GB of RAM connected board, arsenic good arsenic a 1.5GHz processor, but the main happening astir this device, different than the carnal QWERTY keyboard, was that it allowed users to download Android apps arsenic good arsenic BlackBerry apps.  

BlackBerry Leap

Four months aft the BlackBerry Classic arrived, came the afloat touchscreen BlackBerry Leap, moving distant from the carnal QWERTY keyboard. The Leap was the merchandise of a caller accumulation statement with Foxconn, seeing a cheaper interaction instrumentality produced.

The Leap had a 5-inch show offering a 1280 x 720 pixel resolution, an 8-megapixel rear camera, 2-megapixel beforehand camera and a 1.5GHz processor with 2GB of RAM. It came successful achromatic and achromatic and it was the past BB10 instrumentality ever.

BlackBerry Priv

Priv was the infinitesimal it each changed for BlackBerry. It was the archetypal Android instrumentality built by BlackBerry, and marked the opening of the extremity for its ain mobile platform. 

It featured the afloat QWERTY keyboard hidden beneath a descent up display, on with an 18-megapixel camera, Quad HD show and the Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor.

As an Android instrumentality the Priv was packed with innovation. The format was possibly a small large, offering that sliding action, but the Priv is simply a bully handset. 

BlackBerry KeyOne

Having decided it couldn't spend to support its hardware part running, BlackBerry turned implicit its licence to TCL, the aforesaid institution that had tenable occurrence successful reinvigorating the Alcatel brand. Its archetypal phone, the KeyOne was a knockout for accepted BlackBerry fans. 

It inactive ran Android, but - dissimilar the Priv - featured a non-sliding keyboard straight beneath the display. Its operation of rounded metal, and soft-touch grippy rear texture made it a joyousness to use, and its unconventional 3:2 4.5-inch surface was amazingly crisp and clean. 

Featuring a 3,500mAh artillery and a Snapdragon 625 processor, it could astir spell 2 days betwixt charges, and accomplished astir tasks with small effort oregon delay.

BlackBerry Key2

The travel up to the KeyOne is the curret flagship - the Key2, and the purpose present was to slim down the offering, making it much premium successful looks, much durable and lighter. The keyboard was made noticeably bigger to, ensuring it was adjacent easier to benignant on. 

It kept the aforesaid 1080 x 1620 solution 3:2 display, but bumped the processor powerfulness up to the Snapdragon 660 chip, with 6GB RAM and a long-lasting 3,500mAh battery. 

Its dual 12-megapixel camera strategy connected the backmost was caller too, arsenic was the rubberised, grippy finish. Its quadrate edges made it not rather arsenic pleasant to clasp arsenic the rounded KeyOne, but the close improvements were made elsewhere. 

Blackberry 5G

In 2020, OnwardMobility won the licence to nutrient the archetypal 5G BlackBerry phone. Rumour has it'll person a keyboard similar the classical Blackberry phones. 

It's expected to beryllium an Android-powered smartphone and was primitively planned to beryllium released successful 2021 but was delayed. Beyond that, there's not overmuch to cognize astatine the moment, but it's inactive absorbing to spot Blackberry inactive live successful the telephone abstraction successful antithetic ways. 

Writing by Britta O'Boyle. Editing by Adrian Willings. Originally published connected 14 April 2016.