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iPhone lover explains what it’s like to switch back to a BlackBerry

Updated Dec 19th, 2018 8:55PM EST
iPhone Vs BlackBerry

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BlackBerry had quite an interesting year in 2014. The company’s stock is up more than 45% on the year as investors find hope in several BlackBerry businesses. Meanwhile, smartphones have taken a backseat, with BlackBerry’s global market share plummeting to less than 1% by some counts. At the same time, Apple has had a phenomenal year, having enjoyed the biggest smartphone launch of all time as it continued to hold the title of the most valuable technology company in the world.

Interestingly, BlackBerry decided to go back to the basics in the fourth quarter this year, and it recently launched a phone it calls the “BlackBerry Classic.” While the phone does include a touchscreen and somewhat modern specs, it’s a spitting image of BlackBerry phones from before the fall.

But is a throwback to the days when physical keyboards were dominant enough to pull business away from the competition? One high-profile iPhone user made the switch, and he explained what it was like in a recent review.

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Can a keyboard-toting smartphone with a design that dates back more than half a dozen years pry an iPhone lover away from his Apple smartphone? That’s the question Associated Press reporter Scott Mayerowitz sought to answer in a review published on Tuesday, and he used himself as a test subject.

Mayerowitz explained that he used to be a BlackBerry user but like most people, he switched away from his BlackBerry to a more modern smartphone several years ago. He now describes himself as a “loyal iPhone user.”

Interestingly, Mayerowitz ditched his BlackBerry for an iPhone just four years ago, which is much later than most people.

We often share stories of loyal iPhone users who try to switch to Android, and of loyal Android users who give the iPhone a shot. This time around, however, we have an iPhone user attempting to jump ship to a much less popular platform.

With BlackBerry phones such a recent memory for Mayerowitz, did the Classic provide the perfect combination of nostalgia and updated features to swing him back over to the BlackBerry camp?

Not so much.

Mayerowitz’s review is an interesting read and his conclusions represent BlackBerry’s biggest hurdles — hurdles that many industry watchers still believe to be insurmountable.

The full review can be read by following the link below in our source section.

Zach Epstein
Zach Epstein Executive Editor

Zach Epstein has been the Executive Editor at BGR for more than 10 years. He manages BGR’s editorial team and ensures that best practices are adhered to. He also oversees the Ecommerce team and directs the daily flow of all content. Zach first joined BGR in 2007 as a Staff Writer covering business, technology, and entertainment.

His work has been quoted by countless top news organizations, and he was recently named one of the world's top 10 “power mobile influencers” by Forbes. Prior to BGR, Zach worked as an executive in marketing and business development with two private telcos.