[monotok]

Edit: Title should say BB10 and not BBM. Oops

This is just a thought.

Wouldn't it make sense for Blackberry to release their current handsets (Z10, Z30, Q10) under the same brand or possibly different but running Android?
It is not giving up on BB10 but giving it the time to grow and outsell BB7. They could sell these devices as consumer devices with either pure Android or a slightly modified version. Pure android would probably attract more consumers.

I think they would sell because a lot of people like the hardware but they might not want to leave the Android ecosystem (They may have purchased lots of apps etc).

I don't think it would take too much development time to port Android to the current devices.

I have always thought they should do this as a secondary project to generate a lot of revenue and increase their share price.

What do you guys think?

[howarmat]

They could but if you look at most android OEMs its touch to make any money. So in the end would it really be worth it?

[12Danny123]

Plus they would have to pay Microsoft for royalty fees. I think $10 per handsets

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[monotok]

That is a good point indeed! I suppose you have got to weigh up the situation they are currently in. They need to do something to start making profit again and if it is a small cost to port Android to their devices I think it would be worth it just in case they do sell well.

[monotok]

Only if Microsoft thought it was worth pursuing them over? Not every manufacturer pays Microsoft do they?

Plus they would have to pay Microsoft for royalty fees. I think $10 per handsets

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[12Danny123]

Only if Microsoft thought it was worth pursuing them over? Not every manufacturer pays Microsoft do they?

Microsoft has almost every Android OEM paying them. Except Motorola. Which Microsoft is winning against

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[zensen]

It might push bbm but it's not helping to bush the other BlackBerry services and with bb10 still kicking it would be wasted money.

Unless they started integrating their security into it to differentiate, then you might as well flick bb10 goodbye and I don't want to see that happen. I like BlackBerry 10 not the android os.

[howarmat]

Chen is on the path to profits. I think he understands the need for low end devices and that is what the Foxconn deal is. It wont be instant but they appear to have enough cash to stay in business until the low end devices hit the markets. They clearly arent ouf of the woods but for the first time in years appear to have a decent plan

[monotok]

I do think the new CEO understands what is needed more than any other and hope his plan succeeds.

However as a manufacturer Blackberry could make devices using multiple OS's. Even if Android is not a good idea because it is too over crowded with Samsung etc they could look to Windows Phone 8 for one device to try and boost profits, as Nokia are the only real manufacturer of Windows Phone there would be more room to move. Plus they would not have to pay Microsoft for using Android :P

[imcurved]

Mr. Chen Made it very clear during the call this morning that the first iteration of phones will be "handled" mostly by Foxconn. The revenue stream will be handled by BlackBerry. These are low-end models to target directly to BlackBerry growing market. Foxconn has the parts and the infrastructure in place to produce this phone efficiently. This hopefully will ensure to keep the price low at the competitive level. And there won't be any additional cost incurred like those to make the Zs and the Qs. Hopefully, this will get BlackBerry 10 to more people.

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[Thunderbuck]

That is a good point indeed! I suppose you have got to weigh up the situation they are currently in. They need to do something to start making profit again and if it is a small cost to port Android to their devices I think it would be worth it just in case they do sell well.

Why would they sell well?

This idea would only work if for some reason the handsets sold better as Androids and not as BlackBerries, and there's more downside than upside. If it works, then it cheapens the equivalent BlackBerry handsets and makes them less desirable (my guess is that most seeing a Q10 would just assume it to be the Android version). If it doesn't work, then they're out whatever money it cost them to launch.

Worth remembering: we will soon see the new version of BB10 that will natively run APKs; that essentially makes them "Android" handsets in many ways already.