BlackBerry pledges 'you can count on us' in emotional open letter to customers

BlackBerry has written an open letter to its customers to reassure them that they can "continue to count on" the brand in the future.

The embattled handset maker recently agreed a deal to be sold to a financial consortium led by Fairfax Financial Holdings for $4.7bn (£2.93bn), after suffering a much-publicised decline in sales.

It was also recently reported that BlackBerry is planning to cut up to 40% of its workforce by the end of the year, amid claims that the struggling Canadian smartphone manufacturer will make the cuts across all departments.

To reassure customers that the brand has a future, it has rolled out an open letter ad in 30 newspapers across nine countries, including The Times.

The letter, headed, "To our valued customers, partners and fans," insists that the company has a health balance sheet and that it continues to lead innovation in the handset market.

It states: "You’ve no doubt seen the headlines about BlackBerry. You’re probably wondering what they mean for you as one of the tens of millions of users who count on BlackBerry every single day.

"We have one important message for you: you can continue to count on BlackBerry.

"Yes, there is a lot of competition out there and we know that BlackBerry is not for everyone. You have always known that BlackBerry is different, that BlackBerry can set you apart. Countless world-changing decisions have been finalised, deals closed and critical communications made via BlackBerry. And for many of you that created a bond, a connection that goes back more than a decade.

"We believe in BlackBerry – our people, our technology and our ability to adapt. More importantly, we believe in you. We focus every day on what it takes to make sure that you can take care of business.

"You trust your BlackBerry to deliver your most important messages, so trust us when we deliver one of our own: You can count on us."

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