BlackBerry recently officially stopped support for its operating system. This decision makes old BlackBerry phones lose basic functions such as access to phone calls, SMS, data, and others.
New BlackBerry phones running the Android operating system are not affected by this. But some Android applications that are part of BlackBerry phones will be 'turned off' in the near future.
The Software Lifecycle page on the BlackBerry website reveals that several Android applications made specifically for BlackBerry phones such as Password Keeper, DTEK, BlackBerry Launcher, Privacy Shade, and Keyboard will enter end-of-life status on August 31, 2022, as quoted from Android Authority, Saturday (15/1/2022).
The apps above are all available for BlackBerry KeyOne, Key2, Key2 LE, and Motion running Android. This is certainly bad news for BlackBerry Android phone users who still want to use their phones for a long time.
This isn't the first time BlackBerry has discontinued support for its Android apps. In 2019, several applications entered the end-of-life period, namely Device Search, Productivity Tab, Power Center, and BlackBerry Blend.
Entering the end-of-life period does not mean that the above applications can no longer be used. Those BlackBerry apps can still be used and will still be available on the Google Play Store.
But if one day the application has problems or can no longer be used, users will have difficulty finding solutions or fixes because they don't get support and updates from BlackBerry anymore.
Even if OnwardMobility launches a BlackBerry-branded phone this year, it's likely that the phone will only carry the BlackBerry name and won't come with the same software.
