[Oshasat]

Okay, aside from the probable death of hardware by the fall, the Globe and Mail and others reported the possible licensing of the Hub. I'm surprised this didn't get more mention on the forums (I searched prior to posting, honest). I find this a heartening prospect, given that Hub and the PKB are both among the key features that make BlackBerry stand out from the iOS/Android crowd.

John Chen: ''...he�s exploring options to license core operating system features, though no deals have been made yet. �I�m willing to license my secure Android software, the virtual keyboard, Hub, Dtek [a security app]. Or to even put it on Google Play or app stores...�

Posted via CB10

[koool1]

Didn't see these quotes. Thanks for posting.

IF BlackBerry does exist hardware and IF they license out I would follow. I love BlackBerry Hub and keyboard, it's the main reason I bought Priv >S7.

Still hoping Priv sales in particular pick up though - marketing is horrible.

Posted via BlackBerry PRIV

[early2bed]

Why would someone need to license the idea of putting messages together in one place? Is there some kind of technological innovation involved that would take a few software engineers more than a few weeks? The same goes with the virtual keyboard.

[olga421]

Well I'm sure the Priv sales will pick up, because keep in mind it was wasn't not to long ago that Verizon, started selling the Priv, and it was introduced in Japan, so let's give the handset business this time around a chance to prove it shelf....i mean the Priv IMO is a F@%&% great phone honestly, I was very surprised that it didn't do so well, I'm very optimistic this Sept that the handset division will stay ....what do you guys think???

Posted via the CrackBerry App for Android

[Bluenoser63]

Okay, aside from the probable death of hardware by the fall, the Globe and Mail and others reported the possible licensing of the Hub. I'm surprised this didn't get more mention on the forums (I searched prior to posting, honest). I find this a heartening prospect, given that Hub and the PKB are both among the key features that make BlackBerry stand out from the iOS/Android crowd.

John Chen: ''...he’s exploring options to license core operating system features, though no deals have been made yet. “I’m willing to license my secure Android software, the virtual keyboard, Hub, Dtek [a security app]. Or to even put it on Google Play or app stores...”

Posted via CB10

Chen is delusional if he thinks that people will license this stuff. The secure Android system isn't BlackBerrys to license. Virtual Keyboard was bought from someone else. Hub is useless on Android when compared to BB10. DTEK isn't a good security app. It only reports issue, but doesn't prevent or correct them. And no one is going to pay BlackBerry for their apps. I don't see many wanting BlackBerry anything. I can see it now, people making fun that you have anything BlackBerry on your phone.

As proof, how well did BBM work cross platform?

[nuff_said]

Why would someone need to license the idea of putting messages together in one place? Is there some kind of technological innovation involved that would take a few software engineers more than a few weeks? The same goes with the virtual keyboard.

I agree with your comment about the hub. I believe Google Play Store has some hub-like apps already. If anyone should release a hub variant it should be Google. They could bake it into the next iteration of Android allowing developers to build into it.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...m.snowball.app

The vkb I think would be copyright protected because it has the same layout at their pkb which they sued Seacrest et al. a few months ago.

[menshawy]

BlackBerry 10 should be sold in whole for a giant that could afford maintaining it. And by sticking their giant name on it instead of BlackBerry, it may sell better! And BlackBerry could keep legacy OS for government. Enterprise is almost lost to Google and Apple

Posted via CB10

[Drenegade]

They'd have done it if they could. Chen has fired all of the BB10 engineers. There's Noone capable left to do that type of work.

Posted via CB10

[Uzi]

Yeah if hub is so great why we only have 0.3 % market share ..people are just fine without hub ,likely

[anon(9188202)]

I would rather see BlackBerry license Chen to another company.

[Troy Tiscareno]

There have been message hubs before BB, and even Samsung had one on Android about 4 years ago - they discontinued it before BB10 launched. Of course, none have been exactly like BB10s, but it's hardly a new concept.

And the VKB is built on the licensed SwiftKey engine, so any selling of the VKB would be subject to that license (which might prohibit it entirely), and if allowed, SwiftKey might take a majority of the revenue.

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

Nothing new, Blackberry is selling.... And no one is buying.

If those BlackBerry apps have value, then Chen should put them in Google Play for everyone and show they have value...

Otherwise it's just speculation that they have any value. Like it was speculation that BB10 was licensable, that BBM/ Channels was valuable, or that their was a PKB market.

[Taigatrommel]

I didn't get those quotes either. I am quite surprised by that to be honest. Didn't BlackBerry mentioned last year they wanted to get a BlackBerry Experience Suite software on other operating systems, most likely Android or iOS? I mean Cobalt showed the current set of Android BlackBerry apps is working well on most Android devices, so they could easily put together a complete software suite for release on Google Play Store - even charge a few bucks for it.

[KermEd]

I don't think anyone would license it.

At this point they will just wait for the BlackBerry patents to go on fire sale and buy them up.

But I imagine the design will get recycled a lot by others now.

Posted to CB via my Passport | Lloyd Summers | FileArchiveHaven

[Oshasat]

I agree with your comment about the hub. I believe Google Play Store has some hub-like apps already. If anyone should release a hub variant it should be Google. They could bake it into the next iteration of Android allowing developers to build into it.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...m.snowball.app

The vkb I think would be copyright protected because it has the same layout at their pkb which they sued Seacrest et al. a few months ago.

From what I've read so far (those that address the Hub, at any rate), is that others have come up with the idea before. But aside from a few, like Snowball, they've either been withdrawn (doing us no good whatsoever) or don't quite do what Hub does. I'll have to explore Snowball, obviously.

THIS feature (and the PKB) is what makes BlackBerry a valuable tool. It's a communications monster, despite the poor handset sales. I'd follow a hardware maker for the PKB, which WOULD doubtless be made by some enterprising corporation -- if BlackBerry were to fold hardware.

And I'd likewise follow the Hub wherever it ended up.

Posted via CB10

[Bbnivende]

Hub ... do not miss it. It is all about the BlackBerry PKB. I also like BlackBerry font and graphics. I used to like the 2011 phone designs . I liked the recent SE design as well

[mfreedmn97]

BlackBerry android apps are already out in the wild. And work great. And this imo would be a great idea. Do it. I'd pay for an optimized App.

Posted via the CrackBerry App for Android

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

BlackBerry android apps are already out in the wild. And work great. And this imo would be a great idea. Do it. I'd pay for an optimized App.

Posted via the CrackBerry App for Android

If they continue development, and if Google and other communication app developers will work with BlackBerry to improve the Hub. It might be worth something one day.

But it's clear that Chen is going to have to cut more costs from the hardware budget. Other than software development for BB10 (1 part time guy) and Android... What is there left to cut.?

[Oshasat]

"What is there left to cut?"is a good question, but Chen did voluntarily mention licensing ---or selling--- the Hub. I'm trying not to guess or speculate, and what he said is only three days old..

Posted via CB10

[mfreedmn97]

Truth is, not much left to cut. Hw division is toast. And when that happens apk for android are also toast. Without cobalt I'd already have jumped to iOS. Only thing keeping me in android is the bb apps that he ported over. All my bb10 gear is gone now. Got to move on. Frankly I think the sooner this happens the better. Unlock shareholder value. Get rid of the dead weight. Bb android is a failure. Priv is a failure. Bb10 is a failure. Every time bb says one thing and does another like broken promises on marshmallow, 10.3.3, shattered expectations on Vienna and so on the ice gets a little thinner. But I digress. Cobalts work on bb apk are pretty much the only thing IMO keeping bb fans who have already jumped ship remotely interested in bb. Game over. It's a dry heat.

[donnation]

I can put the Hub on my 6P right now if I wanted to. I don't see a point to it because it's not really that great on the Priv compared to BB10's version of it.

Could they even license out the vkb? BB licensed their keyboard prediction from Swiftkey and unless people were desperate to swipe up to choose a word instead of pressing the word I don't know how much sense it would make or if people would buy it.

[xtremeled]

Well I'm sure the Priv sales will pick up, because keep in mind it was wasn't not to long ago that Verizon, started selling the Priv, and it was introduced in Japan, so let's give the handset business this time around a chance to prove it shelf....i mean the Priv IMO is a F@%&% great phone honestly, I was very surprised that it didn't do so well, I'm very optimistic this Sept that the handset division will stay ....what do you guys think???

Posted via the CrackBerry App for Android

The entertainment value here is increasing. Blackberry has nothing to offer the majority of smartphone users. I'm a big fan of the Hub but lets face reality. There is no really good word on the street when it comes to Blackberry. It's an overpriced Android phone with only 2 real pluses. The Keyboard and the Hub. Well, if PKB were so great there would be more devices using them. I for one would pay for Hub integration on my iPhone because aside from the Hub the only other thing i really miss is the LED notification and to a lesser degree, BB email.
Priv sales picking up? Wont happen! The phone is overpriced and lets face it, when Blackberry ditched OS10 they admitted failure. Overpriced phone with a crap OS. Go back a few years here and see what everyone said about Android. Nothing has changed except Blackberry is now an Android phone

[silversmith75]

Yeah if hub is so great why we only have 0.3 % market share ..people are just fine without hub ,likely

No it more people don'thave any clue or and never heard or seen the hub


BlackBerry screwed them selves. When the z line under sold they threw in the towel. Instead of saying we are in for the long haul. They tucked tale and said we are done. That didn't work. Back when they had over a million sales. Instead they should have said sales are not what we hoped for. But we are committed to to bring it out. And announced the z30. And showed future upgrade paths. But nope. And the hard ware division suffered. And has been all down hill then to ad insult to injury. Some one thought it would be a good idea to can there own os and adopted a bug ridden. Totally over saturated market. Nice job.
#luvmybb10os

[Witmen]

The Hub! That super duper awesome exclusive feature that didn't do squat to help prevent BB10 from becoming the single largest commercial failure ever in the smartphone industry.

No one cares. Or at least almost no smartphone owners do.

I personally prefer the way Android handles notifications (preview, read, reply, delete, archive) via the drop down panel. The Hub on BB10 was slower for me when compared to Android's method. I don't see there being anyone who would pay to license the Hub.

[Witmen]

BlackBerry 10 should be sold in whole for a giant that could afford maintaining it. And by sticking their giant name on it instead of BlackBerry, it may sell better! And BlackBerry could keep legacy OS for government. Enterprise is almost lost to Google and Apple

Posted via CB10

There is no value in it though. BB10 = a several billion dollar failure. Who would spend money to buy and maintain a smartphone platform that has lost its creator billions of dollars and has never generated a single cent of profit?