[Troy Tiscareno]

@Troy

Blackberry could always pay amazon a fee to license their store and services. They could directly tie it to the number of downloads by Blackberry phones. Really not hard IMO. The beauty of this is that it is actually doable unlike GPS which would never fly with the OHA regardless of how much money Blackberry offered.

Perhaps, but it would mean sudden, instant death of BB World from a developer's point of view - who would support BB World if BB was actively supporting another market?

And it's easily conceivable that their agreements with their media partners for BB World would prevent them from doing this.

Finally, it would mean an absolute end to any service revenue from BB10 phones, which was one of the big reasons for trying to build their own ecosystem in the first place - the ongoing revenue generated by the store.

So, even if it's possible, it certainly isn't going to be an easy decision for BB.

[LuvULongTime]

Perhaps, but it would mean sudden, instant death of BB World from a developer's point of view - who would support BB World if BB was actively supporting another market?

And it's easily conceivable that their agreements with their media partners for BB World would prevent them from doing this.

Finally, it would mean an absolute end to any service revenue from BB10 phones, which was one of the big reasons for trying to build their own ecosystem in the first place - the ongoing revenue generated by the store.

So, even if it's possible, it certainly isn't going to be an easy decision for BB.

Yes, but the current situation isn't exactly lighting the world on fire. Blackberry needs to get phones in people's hands. This will be hard to do without an instant app store. Amazon would solve this right away. Once the BB10 user base is built up to a respectable # then blackberry could go to devs and sell them on the concept of a native app. Even better would be if they could actually show how much of their android app sales came from BB10 phones. Alternatvely they could also try and sell devs on the idea of just moving the android version over to App World if the dev balks at a native app. Right now devs think bb10 is dead and are wasting no time with it. They need to stem this tide. An Amazon partnership would be a first and temporary step.

[A895]

Yes, but the current situation isn't exactly lighting the world on fire. Blackberry needs to get phones in people's hands. This will be hard to do without an instant app store. Amazon would solve this right away. Once the BB10 user base is built up to a respectable # then blackberry could go to devs and sell them on the concept of a native app. Even better would be if they could actually show how much of their android app sales came from BB10 phones. Alternatvely they could also try and sell devs on the idea of just moving the android version over to App World if the dev balks at a native app. Right now devs think bb10 is dead and are wasting no time with it. They need to stem this tide. An Amazon partnership would be a first and temporary step.

Temporary? If BlackBerry goes with Amazon it's permanent. Another thing is that Amazon has a different business strategy than BlackBerry. They want to get their stuff into as many hands at possible not matter the cost. Why do you think the first generation of Kindle Fire tablets was some of the highest selling android tablets of all time? They sell stuff at cost or near cost on all their stuff. Blackberry often (unfortunately and to their own detriment) charges higher prices, and off contract than they should be. BlackBerry wants to be profitably again and Amazon can't do that for them. They make billions of dollars a year but still have made a loss on several quarters because they spend millions of dollars to expand and improve their business. BlackBerry just would not be able to blend in with this.

Posted via the Android CrackBerry App!

[Troy Tiscareno]

But, why would devs bother writing a native BB10 version of an app when they can make minor changes to their Android (Google Play) app and upload it to Amazon Market? Why do more work for the same (or even less) potential gain? Other than a handful of pro-BB developers, once you set the expectation that an Android app is good enough and "officially endorsed", you can forget ever getting native apps again.

Maybe that is what will have to happen, but as I said, that sure won't be an easy decision for BB to make. Heck, that decision could well be the straw that breaks the camel's back of BB ever attempting to compete in the consumer market with smartphones again, because that removes the only real on-going revenue stream, and kills what is left of their ecosystem.

[RubberChicken76]

Maybe that is what will have to happen, but as I said, that sure won't be an easy decision for BB to make. Heck, that decision could well be the straw that breaks the camel's back of BB ever attempting to compete in the consumer market with smartphones again, because that removes the only real on-going revenue stream, and kills what is left of their ecosystem.

Unfortunately, I don't think it's really a "revenue" stream for them. It's likely at best, a "break even" stream and would always be. 30% of paid apps doesn't take you very far when many are free or .99 cents; yet there are still credit card transactions, infrastructures and third party content to license.

Even if BlackBerry was a lot bigger than currently, I still wonder how much profit would come from an app store unless they had higher margin content like eBooks that they distributed.

[webbert]

BlackBerry makes no money, amazon makes no money, perfect partnership :-)


Posted via CB10

[LuvULongTime]

Perhaps, but it would mean sudden, instant death of BB World from a developer's point of view - who would support BB World if BB was actively supporting another market?

And it's easily conceivable that their agreements with their media partners for BB World would prevent them from doing this.

Finally, it would mean an absolute end to any service revenue from BB10 phones, which was one of the big reasons for trying to build their own ecosystem in the first place - the ongoing revenue generated by the store.

So, even if it's possible, it certainly isn't going to be an easy decision for BB.

Troy, you make very good points. I was thinking about this and more and more i think the way blackberry is approaching this is the correct way. They should leave ota apk installs as an unofficial way to get missing apps for the reasons you stated above. All they can then hope for is that this catches on in the mainstream. They could then continue working to increase the built for blackberry catalog in bb world.

[Prem WatsApp]

Troy, you make very good points. I was thinking about this and more and more i think the way blackberry is approaching this is the correct way. They should leave ota apk installs as an unofficial way to get missing apps for the reasons you stated above. All they can then hope for is that this catches on in the mainstream. They could then continue working to increase the built for blackberry catalog in bb world.

Good point. Leave it as unofficial, at least for a good while to avoid potential legal hassles (misleading advertising if it doesn't fully work with every app, and nonsense like that, whatever lawyer minds come up with) and to give it time to mature, until it's really ready to be shown off.

Zzzzwiped from a Zedevice....

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

Good point. Leave it as unofficial, at least for a good while to avoid potential legal hassles (misleading advertising if it doesn't fully work with every app, and nonsense like that, whatever lawyer minds come up with) and to give it time to mature, until it's really ready to be shown off.

Sure take their time....no need to rush anything.

BlackBerry would have to give Amazon much more than a promise of a few million customers for their store.

Posted via CB10

[playbookster]

Ironic, on the day that Amazon released a custom Kindle app just for Samsung, that will be pre-loaded on some Samsung phones.

It's ironic amazon wants kindle on every device on the planet?

The GIF Exchange C001B7B16?

[playbookster]

Sure take their time....no need to rush anything.

BlackBerry would have to give Amazon much more than a promise of a few million customers for their store.

Posted via CB10

Considering amazon's tablet market share is quickly shrinking I don't see the harm in them being able to sell more apps to 8 or 9 million more customers. Makes business sense to me.

The GIF Exchange C001B7B16?

[Mr4aces]

I have only been on CB for 3 weeks now. Prior to this I knew nothing about OS, apps or phones. I only knew what worked for me. My back ground shows that mountians or money was never a problem. Pior to 2008 my customer base was like RIM, people with disposible income. I was also blind and thought the cash would never stop flowing.

When I started selling on the internet in 1997 our COG were 20-30%. When op discovered they could do the same the margins tumbled and COG jumped to 75-80%. It only took 1 or 2 vendors to destroy this. When I started we had $10-25k buyins. In the end there was little or none. Additional the $3k+ brake kits and $50k+ custom builds (autos) went away. So, I "think" I understand what happened to RIM.

Post 2008 my thinking is aways saving money. With my head out of the clouds, I feel the majority of the consumers try to put their money in a coffee can and buy the best product for their money spent. This means they are influenced by cost and advertising.

Looking from the outside, JC looks like he can bring BB back in 4-5 years they will again be the elite. The Z3, Q20, Z30 and Enterprise looks like a good foundation to build on. I don't understand OS so I can not comment on O7, BB10....... or how any of it works.

Would I buy a high end BB product? After being a little more educated, yes.

Do I think Joe Q public will buy BB? Not unless it is priced corrrctly. ie Z3

Do I think BB should make a lot of new products a year? Not until they stop the bleeding. Make 1 or 2 medium to high $$ and maybe 1-2 low end. Sell them a low margin and flood the market. The more units means there will be a demand for apps. More apps means more hardward demand = >$$

Chicken or the egg? I don't know, but I feel John Chen will take the right path.

FYI There is way to many negative threads on this fourn. Yes, it is an open forum, but how long can you beat a dead horse? Stop the thread after 2-3 days then delete it after 1-2 weeks. Why do a search and bring up dirty laundry?

.........my 10 cents

[Mr4aces]

.......Looking from the outside, JC looks like he can bring BB back in 4-5 years they will again be the elite. The Z3, Q20, Z30 and Enterprise looks like a good foundation to build on. I don't understand OS so I can not comment on O7, BB10....... or how any of it works.

I have been out of software writting so long that my knowlege is zero and the last time I did web pages was 6 years ago.

Chicken or the egg? I don't know, but I feel John Chen will take the right path.

He may not know anything about BB but his record show he has the knowledge.

FYI There is way to many negative threads on this fourn. Yes, it is an open forum, but how long can you beat a dead horse? Stop the thread after 2-3 days then delete it after 1-2 weeks. Why do a search and bring up dirty laundry?

.........my 10 cents

CrackBerry is BlackBerrys worst enemy.
Way to many arm chair's.....

And there are typos and misspelling I'm sorry. I'm typing from my 9900 and there is no spell check nor do I have internet.

[Mr4aces]

.

When I started selling on the internet in 1997 our COG were 20-30%. When op discovered they could do the same the margins tumbled to 75-80%. It only took 1 or 2 vendors to destroy this. When I started we had $10-25k buyins. In the end there was little or none. Additional the $3k+ brake kits and $50k+ custom builds (autos) went away. So, I "think" I understand what happened to RIM.

You need this high marign when your product is in demand. When I was manufacturing my COG was 20% it took 2-3 years before everything was knockedoff.

Same thing in any business. Look at how many companies make phones, computers and tablets.

I also made the mistake to promote a few companies who's parts were being used. I should have my own parts and manufactured everything under my brand.
No loyality. There was a time when a hand shake or a man's word ment something.

[LuvULongTime]

Sure take their time....no need to rush anything.

BlackBerry would have to give Amazon much more than a promise of a few million customers for their store.

Posted via CB10

In fairness to BB, they have added a lot to the OS in the last 12+ months from 10.0 to 10.2.1. It will only get better and better.

What I am hoping they do is continue enhancing the Android player so that they can indirectly support apps that require Google Services. Imagine if BB could sub a Google service for their own (or another third party) so that the app wouldn't crash when it made a call to said service. That would be brilliant. They could basically support every android app unofficially without having to pay a dime to Google or Amazon. As long as folks have any easy way to get and install APK's then it's all good.

[Emaderton3]

In fairness to BB, they have added a lot to the OS in the last 12+ months from 10.0 to 10.2.1. It will only get better and better.

What I am hoping they do is continue enhancing the Android player so that they can indirectly support apps that require Google Services. Imagine if BB could sub a Google service for their own (or another third party) so that the app wouldn't crash when it made a call to said service. That would be brilliant. They could basically support every android app unofficially without having to pay a dime to Google or Amazon. As long as folks have any easy way to get and install APK's then it's all good.

What about paid apps? They would still get your money, at least Amazon.

Posted via CB10

[KingOfQwerty]

Had a good laugh after reading this thread post BBRY-AMZN deal

Yes, too many aremchair CEOs

[dale-c]

Yes, funny, huh? They'd never do it, right?


Posted via CB10

[leejayh]

There is a lot that Amazon would get from owning Blackberry - and I actually do think that Bezos will slowly come to realize this. It is in categories all across the board:

Corporate Market
Amazon is actually in the B-B and corporate market a lot more than people realize. Granted, right now it is mostly around the cloud services - but there is no reason that they might not want to move into the same broader services that BB is getting into. Why would you not want to have all of your Corporate services tied into a secure infrastructure. Videoconferencing, etc.

Consumer Market
FireOS is a dud. It is never going to make it and offers very little over other OS's. If they switched to BB10 - they would have similar Android compatibility, and then have their own development environment for people to create apps for Amazon customer. They could pave the way by making superior native BB10 versions of all of their apps (video, kindle, store, etc) that are equal if not better than what they are making for IOS, Android and MSFT. They obviously have to continue to make those versions - but having a superior version of their own on their own OS would be very compelling.
If they do that, then Amazon could then start to publish their own API's etc - similar to a Google Play for BB10 that allows developers to get access to many of their services - (the Media is all enamored with Apple Pay - the promise of a Payment system that has actually no users yet) but how many Amazon wallet accounts do you think are out there? A lot.

IOT:
If IOT is going to be real - there is alot that Amazon could do with this as well. Again - it could connect back to their cloud services - which could delve into other services. And having the BB secure global infrastucture for this would be a great thing.