Nigerians generally have a love for BlackBerry phones and accessories, but it’s time to face fact that the bran is on its last leg and now is the best time to ditch it and move on.
Aside the fact that sales have been disappointing, and the company has announced that it’s essentially up for sale, there are certain reasons users should discard their devices now.
Jumia Travel, Africa’s No.1 online hotel booking portal shares 5 reasons Nigerians should ditch their BlackBerry phones this December.
- Facebook app cannot be accessed on BlackBerry
What is life without easy access to Facebook? You basically cannot download and use the Facebook app on BlackBerry phones anymore. Facebook made an announcement earlier this year that by March 31, 2016 it will no longer support Facebook native app on all BlackBerry OS including Blackberry 10, and the app will be discontinued and replaced with a web app. The change automatically implied that BlackBerry Hub integration no longer exists on Facebook. You basically can no longer share items like pictures and videos directly to Facebook using the “share” icon…and that sucks.
- WhatsApp for BlackBerry will stop working on Dec 31
Come December 31, 2016, WhatsApp for BlackBerry will stop functioning. The BlackBerry Messenger died a long time ago and WhatsApp has since reigned supreme as it can deliver instant message across different OS types. Without WhatsApp, there really is not much you can do with your Blackberry phone in Nigeria really. Who needs a BlackBerry phone when it has only a fraction of your total friends?
- Blackouts
While the phone was once renowned for being the most reliable as regards email and text-message service, the reputation has since been plagued by intermittent blackouts. One minute you are on your phone and the next minute you can’t access anything. Worse, sometimes you hardly can get tangible correspondence from BlackBerry Limited on what is going on. With a plethora of other options in the market, why stick with the Blackberry really?
- Still no Siri-like assistant
Most phones, especially the iPhone, have voice command software that responds quickly and accurately to spoken direction, allowing users to send messages, schedule appointments, and make calls just by asking it to. BlackBerry on the other hand does not have any assistant that sharp. Having voice command software in this day and time is becoming more of a necessity, so it really just makes more sense to let go off your BlackBerry now.
- Inconsistency in settings and applications
If you have used blackberry for a long time, you most certainly would have noticed the lack of consistency in its settings and options. While some of the programs and applications could be downloaded 0ver-the-air (OTA), some other applications need to be imported from the computer. This makes it all kind of laborious as it seems like a chore, finding updates and programs. It certainly is easier to go with other phones that feature settings which are clear and easily accessible and also have intuitive user interface.
Contributed by Nkem Ndem, PR Associate, Jumia Travel
Skype: live:nkemndemv, Twitter: @ndemv, Instagram: @kem_dem
