At the beginning of the 2010s, BlackBerry was a force to be reckoned with in the smartphone industry. However, things changed over the second half of the decade. Even introducing BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) to non-BlackBerry devices couldn't turn the tide, with the tool no longer working on Android or iOS since the end of May 2019.

But why did BlackBerry lose such a stronghold in the smartphone sector? How far has Blackberry actually fallen, and could we see a renaissance in the coming years?

How Far Has BlackBerry Fallen?

a blackberry phone on a rock

BlackBerry's decline was more dramatic than LG's smartphone failures because of just how strong its position in this particular market was. In the UK, BlackBerry held a 33.02% smartphone market share in December 2011, according to Statista. Within two years, however, that had shrunk by around just under half to 17.44%. Since the end of 2013, BlackBerry has faded even further into the abyss as far as the UK is concerned. In December 2021, Statista reported in the same research cited above that BlackBerry now had a 0% smartphone market share in Britain.

Worldwide, BlackBerry's decline has been just as spectacular. As Gartner reported in February 2017, just 210,000 devices with its operating system were sold in the fourth quarter of 2016. That was much worse than in Q4 2015, which itself wasn't great either—with fewer than 907,000 devices sold and a 0.2% market share.

Why BlackBerry Declined So Badly

BlackBerry's fall from grace was spectacular, and that drop doesn't happen overnight. Usually, failures of this kind are the boiling point of years' worth of bad decisions.

So, where did it all go wrong for BlackBerry?

1. Slow to Adapt

photo of a person holding a blackberry smartphone

At its peak, BlackBerry's innovation kept us all on our feet. BBM revolutionized instant messaging, and its devices also helped speed up smartphones to what today are effectively portable mini-computers. But unfortunately for BlackBerry, the Storm—which featured a touchscreen—was perhaps too early for consumers to be willing to adopt such technology en masse.

The problem, however, came afterward. The Storm's failure may have influenced BlackBerry's decisions with future phones—many of which had physical keyboards, even though more consumers were ready to adopt touchscreen technology.

The Storm failed for numerous reasons other than its touchscreen, though. One such issue was the difficulties users faced with Wi-Fi (or lack thereof). You could also attribute BlackBerry's decline to its failure to adapt in other areas, such as its camera. And as we can see today, many smartphones have cameras that could rival their DSLR and mirrorless counterparts. If you're in the shop for a new device, you might want to consider which phone has the best camera.

2. Losing Its Core Market

image of an iphone showing app menu

Another reason BlackBerry's fall from grace was so steep is that it didn't pay as much attention to the likes of BlackBerry-created phones for businesses. As such, it didn't see the iPhone as a direct competitor.

BlackBerry's desire to cater to people in business was pretty evident in the design of its devices. While you could respond to emails, send instant messages, answer calls, and browse the web, you couldn't do anywhere near as much as even the early iPhones made possible.

Meanwhile, the other smartphone giants looked at the everyday consumer. Their devices were about convenience and accessibility, two things which—conveniently enough—people working for big companies also desire with their devices.

As time progressed, consumer-oriented phones became more popular in business environments too. They could also do everything BlackBerry devices could and then some. Nowadays, you can use several free apps for managing your own business and to improve collaboration as an employee.

3. The BlackBerry Operating System

Photo of a Blackberry keyboard

Another key reason behind BlackBerry's failure was its loyalty to its operating system—despite some significant flaws.

One issue with BlackBerry's early OS versions was how few apps you could download compared to Apple and Android devices. While BlackBerry eventually opened its app store to more popular apps, the damage was already done by that point.

BlackBerry users disliked using their app store for several reasons, with user experience being one major complaint. Customers also reported several smartphone performance issues, such as lagging and freezing. And while BlackBerry devices later switched to Android, these problems were hard to ignore.

Could BlackBerry Make a Return?

A BlackBerry phone and accessories.

BlackBerry's glory days in the smartphone space are long gone, and as mentioned on the company's website:

On January 4, 2022, BlackBerry decommissioned the infrastructure and services used by our legacy software and phone operating systems.

But while BlackBerry's glory days in the smartphone space are long gone, the company isn't necessarily dead altogether.

New Products and Services

BlackBerry is nowhere near its old size. In 2011, for example, the company made almost $20 billion in revenue, according to Statista. Comparatively, that figure in 2022 was "just" $718 million.

Considering how much space in the smartphone market BlackBerry has lost, you could argue that's still a pretty reasonable figure. The main reason why BlackBerry has continued making money is that the company has shifted its attention to new products and services.

Much of BlackBerry's core offering these days focuses on cybersecurity. The company has, for example, begun focusing on how companies with hybrid or remote working agreements can ensure that access to their servers is more secure.

BlackBerry also offers various other crucial B2B services, such as AI-powered systems that protect against ransomware. So, there's every chance that you'll work for an employer using BlackBerry's technology in the future.

Helped largely by its market focus shift, the company anticipates a rosy future. As reported by Reuters in May 2023, BlackBerry said that it expects revenue in 2026 to range anywhere from $800 million to $960 million.

BlackBerry's Failures Can Teach Smartphone Companies a Lot

Failure is often the biggest teacher, and BlackBerry's smartphone market share decline has taught the world a lot about business and innovation. While you could argue that the likes of Apple had a better long-term vision for consumer smartphones (and how they might operate in the world of work), many of BlackBerry's failures were its own doing.

BlackBerry's decision to focus on cybersecurity instead looks to be a better approach, and the company's experience in B2B products and services will allow a stronger focus on its strengths. You'll probably never use a BlackBerry smartphone again, but you certainly may utilize its technology in one way or another.