Tag: blackberry

The company has now made its first moves that would indicate that it could embrace Google’s mobile OS.

As the Canadian handset maker works to be able to raise the revenue that it is generating from its software and device management sector, it now appears as though the next BlackBerry operating system that will be found on upcoming smartphones could be Android.

Many analysts are applauding the decision and have said that Android could breathe new life into the company.

The use of Android as a BlackBerry operating system could be enough o make the device arm of the company more appealing to consumers, say many analysts. According to Enderle Group technology consulting firm’s Rob Enderle, “From the standpoint of marketing, this is a great way for BlackBerry to get visibility. It really doesn’t hurt them much, and the upside is high.” That said, Enderle joins many other tech and financial analysts that have said that this decision is not without potential obstacles that would need to be overcome.

Primary among those challenges is that there would be more than one BlackBerry operating system.

If that is the case then BlackBerry would need to start managing devices running on its own mobile platform as well as those operating on Android. This would mean that some of the company’s resources could end up having to be used for the marketing of Android based devices, separately from the marketing that it is already conducting for the devices running on its own platform. That said, the majority agree that this downside is quite limited when compared to the potential benefit that it has to offer.

Enderle explained that the primary potential weakness that is caused by the use of Android on BlackBerry devices is in the form of security. That said, “that’s just the thing that BlackBerry can fix, so it could play out pretty well and I am actually quite surprised that they did not try this sooner.” He also pointed out that the company will need to deliver quite an impressive device in order to make this new BlackBerry operating system strategy actually work.

He believes that the enterprise security features will set these handsets apart from the competition.

CEO John Chen has revealed that he is still pursuing his goal of returning BlackBerry smartphone sales to profitability, despite the fact that the company has only just managed to escape from the brink of complete disaster.

It is Chen’s belief that the mobile security in the company’s handsets are head and shoulders over other manufacturers.

Chen explained that when it comes to mobile security, there simply isn’t any comparison to a BlackBerry smartphone He said that they offer far greater security features on enterprise devices than is available on any other manufacturer’s gadgets. The CEO also went on to state that the smartphones made by BlackBerry function as a jumping off point for the company to be able to market its other broad range of security options.

While the company can secure Android and iPhone devices, Chen says that there is nothing like a BlackBerry smartphone.

The CEO explained that Android smartphones and iPhones can have their mobile security levels enhanced through BlackBerry technology, but that when it comes down to it, the highest level of protection is available through one of the company’s own handsets. This belief helps to explain why Chen has chosen to adhere to his intentions of moving forward within the device business in order to focus on other components of the mobile industry.

He also explained that the U.S. Army is continuing with “rolling out all BlackBerry,” and he added that if he should “tell them there are no more phones, I lose that account. The question is how do you make phones profitable at the volume those people represent?”

During the most recent quarterly earnings announcement, the handset maker from Windsor, Canada, revealed that it had 1.6 million devices within that span of time. Though this number is certainly only the smallest sliver of the mobile technology market as a whole (Apple’s equivalent figure was 61.2 million), it does help to show that the BlackBerry smartphone does appear to be hanging in there when compared to previous recent quarters.