[RyanGermann]

The Board seemed to like the strategy of BB10 OS and hardware ecosystem.

BBM ("BB10" typo fixed) multi-platform is an asset that does not need to be owned by BlackBerry Ltd. It can be independent like Skype (was) or like WhatsApp or like Instagram (was) and still have a viable business model.

Ok, so let's assume that BBM is spun off as a separate company.

BES / MDM is a separate line of business that made sense when BB handsets needed a NOC to be operated. In a BYOD world, that enterprise software isn't tied to BlackBerry either.

So both of those could be spun off as separate companies to get cash into the pockets of what is left of BlackBerry Ltd.

So, a mobile handset / OS vendor is what's left... and none the poorer because the same company doesn't ALSO own the messaging app and doesn't also one the enterprise MDM server.

I am a firm believer that a mobile OS without a coordinated, integrated, robust and UNIQUE hardware platform is just going to dwindle to obscurity no matter what (well, unless it's totally free like Android or Firefox or Ubuntu who will always live on by way of open source developers keeping them alive).

So, for closed-source OS, we have iOS, WP and BB10.

Both iOS and WP understand (and I fully agree) you can't make a go of it as JUST a hardware or just a software vendor.

So, I'm thinking this 'fast track' sale is an insider that's going to buy it all up, then spin off BBM and BES for CASH, and use that cash to hopefully get a new executive team on board and go back to startup mode and really innovate and engage, much leaner and meaner.

That is my hope. Any future for BB10 that is some kind of go-it-alone OS without hardware is just a long, slow, decline.

[mathking606]

Why would the buyer not want the enterprise services part of the business when that is most of the value of the company and is really the only reason they have not begun bleeding cash already.

[RyanGermann]

Why would the buyer not want the enterprise services part of the business.

Not saying that they would, but it may be OK for the BB10/QNX / mobile hardware company to do without. Put another way, the MDM enterprise software company should sell off the OS/Devices business units because the latter is dragging the former down... maybe keep the security aspects of th mobile os but extend that to other platforms including the other upcoming open source Ubuntu and Firefox OSes.

Posted via CB10

[mathking606]

Not saying that they would, but it may be OK for the BB10/QNX / mobile hardware company to do without. Put another way, the MDM enterprise software company should sell off the OS/Devices business units because the latter is dragging the former down... maybe keep the security aspects of th mobile os but extend that to other platforms including the other upcoming open source Ubuntu and Firefox OSes.
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Problem is finding a buyer for the hardware division would probably be extremely hard to do as there is no real value from it for anyone in the mobile industry unless it includes a license to the patents that the company currently holds and as well I forgot to mention Welcome to CrackBerry!

[badiyee]

wait, a question from from me here.

1) BBM is now a separate entity, not a part of BlackBerry if it gets sold, right?
2) is BES/BIS/NOC division of BlackBerry being separated as well, like BBM?
3) what defines "strategic options" in whole?

[RyanGermann]

Problem is finding a buyer for the hardware division would probably be extremely hard to do as there is no real value from it for anyone in the mobile industry unless it includes a license to the patents that the company currently holds and as well I forgot to mention Welcome to CrackBerry!

I think that an insider like Watsa might believe in the handset business and want to fund it by selling off the BBM and MDM / Enterprise units either as standalone companies or to other buyers.... I could imagine IBM buying the MDM server software business but not interested in the devices and BBM / messaging business.

I am suggesting that currently BB is made up of three business units that, in the past, were tied together technically but now are independent from one another... but the BB10 OS and handset hardware businesses must stay together and a fast-track insider sale structured as I described is what makes sense to me... seen another way, the BBM business is attractive to many buyers including building it out as a standalone business... same for the MDM Enterprise business.... but the handset business on its own doesn't seem to be viable... the OS business on its own (licensed to hardware vendors) doesn't seem viable... but an insider who feels like we do that the BB10 OS / handset business could get traction of it was tweaked a bit and marketed properly (I LOVE BB10!), supported by the additional funds that could be generated by the BBM / MDM sales would be exciting.

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[RyanGermann]

With the focus on Prosumer, I guess they'll be keeping it all together.

[badiyee]

since my question wasn't answered by anyone, I assume I'll just have to leave it to the wisdom of the passing time to have it answered, eventually.

However, first with the BBM split and then the news about BBRY's MDM forking into the EMM (technically, BES used to be BlackBerry device exclusive, now it supports iPhones and Android OS phones as well, not sure about WP) and increase of servers from 19000 to 25000, I'm actually wondering if BBRY is discreetly pulling a "facebook now" maneuver, which was also what MS had in mind with their MS Office offering.

If you look at BBM for Android and BBM for iPhone, (at the very least pre iOS7), you'll see that the BBM interface for these OSes aren't "natively skinned". Or let's put it, it feels like BlackBerry in an another phone. I suspect if they're going full services, this would be what they are attempting. While it isn't bad, the main challenge is would to be "staying relevant" and staying profitable. The question then is, how would they BlackBerry-fy the Android and iPhones to the point that people would be "stuck" to it willingly?