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Expect to see BlackBerry's name (and tech) on more devices
A few years ago we had all the jokes about BlackBerry and licensing, but yesterday the company reported a higher profit than analysts were expecting and says that its licensing program will expand soon. Right now, BlackBerry licenses its name and Android-based software for devices made by other companies. In December TCL announced it would be the exclusive manufacturer and distributor of BlackBerry phones in most countries, but now BlackBerry says it's pursuing "additional endpoints." That could include "tablets, wearables, medical devices, appliances, point-of-sale terminals and other smartphones."
BlackBerry CEO won't say whether he gave up encryption keys
Here's what we know, thanks to an investigation by Motherboard and Vice: The Royal Canadian Mounted Police have a key that unlocks encrypted messages on every single non-corporate BlackBerry. Here's what we don't know: whether BlackBerry gave that key to the RCMP. BlackBerry CEO John Chen today penned a blog post in response to last week's revelation that the RCMP unlocked more than 1 million encrypted messages as part of an operation called Project Clemenza, which led to seven men confessing their involvement in a murder conspiracy. In the post, Chen doesn't definitively say whether BlackBerry gave its encryption key to Canadian authorities, but he mentions the benefits of cooperating with law enforcement.
BlackBerry is building software to help power self-driving cars
It's been a long time since BlackBerry was just a phone maker, a fact that was made more apparent than ever at the company's cozy CES press conference. To wit: The company just pulled back the curtain on a QNX-based software platform meant to help self-driving cars stay safe and on the road. No, seriously! While car makers often use QNX to power their in-car entertainment systems, BlackBerry's new platform should make it easier for them to collect and interpret environmental data to feed into their cars' driver assistance systems.
BlackBerry could quit hardware as early as next year
At a panel interview at Code/Mobile, BlackBerry CEO John Chen has said that the company might quit the hardware business if it isn't profitable by next year. He said that he "never says never" to shutting down its device business and could perhaps focus entirely on providing security services to other platforms. Indeed, BlackBerry's Enterprise Servers are already compatible with both Android and iOS, so it wouldn't be a significant pivot. That said, Chen is bullish on trying to make the hardware business work. On stage, he showed off the new BlackBerry Priv, which isn't only the firm's first ever Android product, but also BlackBerry's first ever device that uses an operating system that isn't its own.
BlackBerry's CEO isn't sure how to use BlackBerry's Android phone
BlackBerry CEO John Chen may be immensely proud of his company's upcoming Android-powered Priv smartphone, but he still has a few things to learn about using it. In an on-camera demo of the Priv for BNN, it's apparent that the exec hasn't used Android much -- he talks about how it "runs Google," and has trouble launching basics like Chrome. Not exactly putting your best foot forward, BlackBerry. It's hard not to sympathize a bit with Chen, since he's likely been using BlackBerry 10 devices for a while. With that said, SlashGear raises a valid concern about what this goof-ridden clip means for long-time users. Moving to Android is a big help for newcomers and people who'd left BlackBerry for greener pastures, but it might alienate loyal fans who've never tried another company's platform.
BlackBerry's one-of-a-kind Passport phone will cost $599
Over the past few months, BlackBerry has been putting a lot of effort into building some buzz around its newest, oddly-shaped smartphone, the Passport. Today, in an interview with The Wall Street Journal, company CEO John Chen revealed one of the most important aspects of the device: the cost. Chen told the publication that the BlackBerry Passport will be hitting shelves in the US this Wednesday for $599, contract free, adding that such price tag is expected to vary from country to country -- depending on sales tax and the like. Chen also said that BlackBerry's new Passport is betting on reaching and appealing to people who need to be productive, pointing to the wider screen as an example of how the device could help users. "You really are seeing a more entire picture than seeing a sliver [of screen]," Chen stated to WSJ, likely in reference to some of the most popular phones out there at the moment, such as the iPhone 6, Galaxy S5 and HTC One M8.
BlackBerry's rebirth: how a fallen smartphone giant plans to remake itself
BlackBerry has stopped bleeding -- officially, at least. In a memo leaked to Reuters, CEO John Chen tells staff that three years of job cuts are over, and that the former mobile legend can start building itself back up rather than salvaging what's left of its smartphone empire. But how did it get to this point? And more importantly, how does it plan to bounce back in an era when even many of its corporate customers have moved on to Android and iOS? As you'll see in our gallery below, BlackBerry is only getting to this point after some grave errors and painful decisions -- but it at last appears to have a strategy that, while imperfect, at least acknowledges a difficult reality. [Lead image credit: AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim]
BlackBerry's about money first, phones second (and that's just fine)
BlackBerry's future as a phonemaker came into question yesterday when Reuters reported that CEO John Chen would consider selling its handset division. Naturally, the company sought to set the record straight... with a blog post from Chen himself published earlier today. "I want to assure you that I have no intention of selling off or abandoning this business any time soon," he wrote, noting that his comments were taken out of context. So what exactly did he mean? Chen quietly crashed a reporter's roundtable with BlackBerry enterprise chief John Sims this morning (apparently in search of a cup of coffee) -- here's what he told us about the Reuters interview and the future of BlackBerry's phones.
BlackBerry CEO promises legal action against product leakers
Leaks are par for the course when you're a huge company working on a new product, but one BlackBerry leaker seems to have gone too far. At least, CEO John Chen thinks so: today he penned a post on the official Inside BlackBerry blog promising legal action against a leaker who "falsely posed as an employee of one of [BlackBerry's] carrier partners to obtain access to secured networks." Ouch.
BlackBerry CEO hoping to avoid future layoffs, expects to be profitable by 2016
This morning's earnings report may not have been BlackBerry's favorite moment, but John Chen seems confident in his vision for the company's future -- and his ability to turn things around. Speaking with a small group of analysts and reporters, Chen mentioned that this coming year will be critical for BlackBerry, saying that it will be an investment year. We can't say we disagree; certainly the deal with Foxconn (which Chen specifies does not involve any licensing agreements, ensuring government relations remain under BlackBerry's control) will require a lot of additional effort and resources on his company's part. Chen seems adamant that this "investment" will not include layoffs, however, "if [he] can avoid it." Certainly no guarantee, of course, but Chen is confident that this quarter was just a hiccup that will help BlackBerry find future financial success, and that he expects his company to be cash flow-neutral by 2015 and profitable by 2016, and wants to do it using growth, rather than saving money through cuts. In fact, Chen plans to build up an Enterprise sales force "to take it back to the market."
BlackBerry ousts marketing and operations chiefs, replaces CFO
The high-level shakeups aren't over at BlackBerry just because the company has a new CEO. The company has just let go of Chief Operating Officer Kristian Tear (pictured at left) and Chief Marketing Officer Frank Boulben (right), both of whom had assumed their roles roughly one year ago. There's no mention of immediate replacements. The Waterloo firm is also replacing Chief Financial Officer Brian Bidulka with the company's Compliance head James Yersh; Bidulka will stay on as an advisor for the rest of the fiscal year to ease the transition. CEO John Chen hasn't provided explanations for the individual departures, but he describes the executive shuffle as necessary for focusing on BlackBerry's "core strength" in mobile device management. Let's just hope that Chen is better at engineering a turnaround than his predecessors.
Cracking up: a brief history of BlackBerry's fall from smartphone dominance
BlackBerry is in dire straits. The smartphone maker was riding high in market share and profits just a few years ago, but it's now having trouble securing rescue money. It's yet again pinning its hopes on a new CEO who's tasked with saving a struggling industry giant. How did BlackBerry decline so quickly, though? And what might happen to the company when seemingly every option is on the table? As it turns out, BlackBerry's descent into trivial market share figures and sustained losses stems from a mixture of hubris, sluggishness and misplaced effort -- and there's no clear solution in sight.
BlackBerry's new CEO plans to keep making smartphones
BlackBerry startled many when it booted Thorsten Heins, particularly smartphone owners -- would interim chief John Chen want to preserve the company's handset business? Those customers can relax, at least for now. Chen tells Reuters that he expects to continue phone development, arguing that there are "enough ingredients" for long-term success. Executives at the company can't rest so easily, however, as the new CEO intends a shake-up of BlackBerry's management that will include some outsiders. The strategy should reassure nervous fans for a while, although Chen will need to back up his words with deeds -- after all, his predecessor made numerous promises that didn't quite pan out.
