Its been a long fall for the company.
For a while, BlackBerry was… well, I dont know aboutcool, but it was popular.
More than that, it defined a particular moment in our collective memory.
This was the start of the mobile era, a time when having a full keyboard on aphonefelt revolutionary.
But all good things must end.
The classic BlackBerry devices (those made beforethe switch to Android) stopped working on January 4.
These can no longer jump into the internet, make calls, or send messages.
An era is over.
The question I have though is this:whose era?
It’s free, every week, in your inbox.
Im a millennial (ugh), and the whole BlackBerry thing missed me entirely.
Yeah, my Dad had one, but I cant remember anyone in my age range using them.
Then an idea struck me: why dont I find out what Gen Z thinks of BlackBerry phones?
If I think the handsets are strange, they must find them baffling.
And while Im generallysuspicious of generations as a concept, time is irrefutable.
Gen Z grew up, and were shaped by, a different world.
How does Gen Z feel about BlackBerry phones?
Surprisingly, nostalgia was the overriding emotion I got from the Gen Z people I spoke with.
Theyre vintage, Cara Curtis, a 24 year old copywriter told me.
Emily Fall, an 18 year old studying law at Warwick University feels the same way.
She loved [her BlackBerry] so much even if she thinks theyre dated now.
This connection element is something that came up a few times in my conversation.
Shi said BBM was everything and wishes she could still update her status.
It wasnt long before nostalgia reared its head again.
Thats slang for historically excellent, by the way.
Really though, I was surprised with the affection that Gen Z held for BlackBerry.
But at least well always have the memories.
