“BlackBerry reportedly plans to roll out multiple models of Android-based smartphones in the second half of 2015, with Taiwan-based handset ODMs, including Foxconn Electronics, Compal Electronics and Wistron serving as production partners, according to sources at Taiwan’s handset supply chain,” Daniel Shen and Steve Shen report for DigiTimes.
“While running on Android OS, the new BlackBerry smartphones will also integrate some software functions of BlackBerry OS and application services such as BES12, BBM and BlackBerry Blend, said the sources,” Shen and Shen report. “The roll-out of Android-based BlackBerry phones is unlikely to result in losses at BlackBerry since these Taiwan-based ODMs will be responsible for R&D, marketing and channel distribution expenses, indicated the sources.”
Read more in the full article here.
“BlackBerry has snapped up a couple of Android-y domain names very recently,” Cam Bunton reports for 9to5Google. “Logs show that BlackBerry Limited bought AndroidSecured.com and AndroidSecured.net on July 7th. This move, of course, adds more fuel to the rumors that the company is planning to launch a Google-powered smartphone in the near future.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: DOA. Just give it up, DCW.
Apple grabbed 93% of mobile industry profits in fourth quarter 2014 – February 9, 2015
SEE ALSO:
Beleaguered BlackBerry reports $28 million loss – June 24, 2015
Beleaguered BlackBerry considers Android phone – June 15, 2015
Beleaguered BlackBerry cut to strong sell on declining sales, layoff plans – June 3, 2015
So..if I’m reading that correctly the new RoidBerry will basically just be another ODM android device w/ the ‘Blackberry’ logo stamped on it? BB in name only? Nice..that’s sounds like a real winner there..
Interesting contrast:
Samsung – Saw the iPhone and correctly recognized it as a breakthrough, dumped their own designs, took Android OS from Google and fast cloned the iPhone. Having market bumps lately but still made/making $billions on smart phones post-2007.
Blackberry – Denied the iPhone was a game changer. Lost $billions. Finally following in Samsung and other followers footsteps, but very unlikely to stand out now. Doom. Doom. Doom.
Blackberry was a great company but avoiding harsh realities gave them no chance.
Agreed. Samsung saw the opportunity and took it. BB stuck their head in the sand and missed the boat.
I don’t like how Samsung stole the iPhone design but at least they reacted to the change in the market.
I would say that it is too late for blackberry. Before they have their network to differentiate themselves. Now that is moot.
I’m not sure I’d call Blackberry a great company. They seemed to be more of a one trick pony that capitalized on email as the killer app.
When the market changed with release of iPhone they were caught like a deer in headlights. Same thing with Nokia. They didn’t adapt and change either.
Ability to be honest with themselves, make tough decisions, and adapt/reinvent itself as necessary are hallmarks of a great company IMO.
So I don’t suppose there’s a greater admission of utter defeat than consorting with the enemy like this. More bargain bin Android phones that only a cheaptard could love we don’t need. They should call it a “DingleBerry.”
dingleberry |ˈdiNGəlˌberē| noun
1 a particle of fecal matter attached to the anal hair of an animal.
2 a foolish or inept person.
Rim DingleBerry
Yeah, because Android phones are notorious profit generators for smartphone brands
Gee, why aren’t they using Windows 10? That would separate BlackBerry form the rest of the Android junk…but not iOS
You might ask the same question of Mr. Nadella. His WinPhone strategy seems a bit vague. 😉
Too little, too late.
Just six years late.
Wow, yet another Android phone, only this one in package barely changed since 2005. There’s a winner.
There is nothing to differentiate their product other than a nameplate bearing a tarnished brand.
How can BlackBerry possibly expect to make any money out of Android when so many others have already failed to do so?
Based upon website names, I’d guess they are going to try to sell Android phones which will be secure from malware. Lofty goal; maybe could have pulled it off once upon a time when they had momentum and talent. Now, they just have Chen, some mirrors and half-a-pack of cigarettes.
“Sucks here in this pan. Think we’ll try out the fire.”
“Beleaguered BlackBerry to launch multiple Android phones this year, say sources”
Ah, the old Spray & Pray technique.
Squirt out a a lot of crap and hope something sticks.
And no trolls yet! How nice. B
What is so hard to understand for the management at Blackberry?
Ditch ALL hardware. Layoff enough so your company is “right sized”. Develop a secure email app for the PC, Mac, Linux, IPhone, Android, and windows phone. Sell the security to governments and corporations. Done right, you could have a nice profitable business. Should have done this back in ’08. This isn’t rocket science here fellas. (Well maybe the math behind the security IS rocket science)
I just saw Blackberry’s killer feature for these new Android phones: a slide-out keyboard! Really? These guys think people still want a keyboard???