[NYPDinformant]

It doesn't make sense for Sony to license BB10 over Windows Phone 8 ...considering they make PCs and all.

WP8 is virtually non-existant in Japan. They can become market leaders as the Nokia brand is not strong among Japanese.

[hurds]

No this is wrong because it makes the assumption that people come back, they *might* come back but there is nothing to suggest that the sector is cyclical in that everyone takes their turn at the top - it is just as likely that once you fade, you don't come back and the replacement for iOS and Android is from a company we don't know at this moment.

Sounds like they are 'coming back'.

But focusing on that is wrong to. The cyclical nature of things refers to those on top dont stay there as the competition takes over, then that repeats. Right now BB has been on the bottom, doesn't matter that they were on top before. If its not BB it'll be someone else, but right now it looks like BB looks to have the best chance, it extremely well positioned and has had a good start on their way to be on top, again.

[lnichols]

It doesn't make sense for Sony to license BB10 over Windows Phone 8 ...considering they make PCs and all.

WP8 is virtually non-existant in Japan. They can become market leaders as the Nokia brand is not strong among Japanese.

Yes because the market has shown strong demand for devices running Windows Phone 8!

[Dapper37]

Have Sony suddenly become a mobile powerhouse rather than just another also-ran who couldn't turn a profit if they fell over it?

I clearly said the Japanese market!
I believe they sell well there.

[backfire101]

I would love to see a Sony style BB10 phone.

[Bbnivende]

I guess it could work if you assume that Sony would add to sales vs just take away sales from BB. For example I might buy the Sony because of a better battery or camera (hypothetical) rather than a BB. The Japanese market for BB10 doesn't appear to be worthwhile for Sony or BB. China on the other hand is the land of opportunity to exploit. I think here Lenovo is a good bet.

[docgasberry]

I guess it could work if you assume that Sony would add to sales vs just take away sales from BB. For example I might buy the Sony because of a better battery or camera (hypothetical) rather than a BB. The Japanese market for BB10 doesn't appear to be worthwhile for Sony or BB. China on the other hand is the land of opportunity to exploit. I think here Lenovo is a good bet.

Was looking through Lenovo's website for mobile ......looks like they haven't figure out which will be their cash cow! Or anything goes. There is absolutely no coherence in design. It is like they are trying to cover every segment of the market.

Yes, I guess if this is the way the China market goes, then maybe Lenovo may be a good BB10 partner as well. Just that on the corporate level haven't seen much "confluence" of news between BBRY and Lenovo.

[NYPDinformant]

Yes because the market has shown strong demand for devices running Windows Phone 8!

If you have a point to make, clearly state it. Your mindless sarcasm only reflects your lack of knowledge on global markets.

[Hawkeberry]

I would love a waterproof xperia z10

[Bbnivende]

Was looking through Lenovo's website for mobile ......looks like they haven't figure out which will be their cash cow! Or anything goes. There is absolutely no coherence in design. It is like they are trying to cover every segment of the market.

Yes, I guess if this is the way the China market goes, then maybe Lenovo may be a good BB10 partner as well. Just that on the corporate level haven't seen much "confluence" of news between BBRY and Lenovo.

One of 7000 Lenovo retail stores in China. Could market BB or sell BB devices under their brand.

http://s.wsj.net/public/resources/im...0523082630.jpg

[lnichols]

If you have a point to make, clearly state it. Your mindless sarcasm only reflects your lack of knowledge on global markets.

I know that globally, as well as in the US, Windows Phone 8 sales are not as strong as BlackBerry sales (and these are the old BBOS devices). Why would Sony license Windows Phone for the sake of the Japan only market if the OS doesn't sell well globally. They would be better off sticking with Android than going WP. When I traveled to Japan back in 2009 for business, most of the phones were locally made ones, and when I went back in 2011, there were still a lot of the local only phones, but the other dominant phone was the iPhone. Also when you consider that the PlayStation and Xbox are bitter enemies in the gaming console market, Sony promoting the Windows Phone ecosystem with Xbox integration is even more silly of an idea! Mobile market is increasing, PC market is losing ground to tablets and mobile!

[docgasberry]

Well, Sony is also a PC maker which is strong on Windows 8 with their VAIO laptops. Sony does have a big investment in W8. The PS is more of an anomaly but this is obviously the bigger money spinner. On saying this, I would love to own a Sony tablet running BB10, which can be another key aspect of their collaboration with BBRY.

[docgasberry]

Looks like licensing is ON the table .......question is who to ...... my guess if they are really going for low end, it'll be Lenovo. Otherwise Sony.

BlackBerry 10 OS Licensed To Entry Level Devices: Z10, Q10: Photos

[vzinside]

I don't think that BB would ever license out BB10 or any other OS. If there is a partnership of any kind, it would be sony making so apps or intergrating their music/video store. Or a remote control app would be cool.

[richardat]

I know that globally, as well as in the US, Windows Phone 8 sales are not as strong as BlackBerry sales (and these are the old BBOS devices). Why would Sony license Windows Phone for the sake of the Japan only market if the OS doesn't sell well globally. !

Windows phone has either overtaken BB, or has closed the gap considerably (depending on which metric used) in the last quarter, so it's actually pretty competitive. I agree though that Sony, who would take a lot of interest in any OS which offers Playstation integration, would probably not be terribly interested in MS. (which is good. lol)

[vzinside]

Windows phone has either overtaken BB, or has closed the gap considerably (depending on which metric used) in the last quarter, so it's actually pretty competitive. I agree though that Sony, who would take a lot of interest in any OS which offers Playstation integration, would probably not be terribly interested in MS. (which is good. lol)

Cheap shot aside, MS would wouldn't do any xbox intergration on any other OS besides their Windows phones. It just wouldn't make sense with they way that they are trying to go.

[docgasberry]

Yet Another Positive Catalyst For BlackBerry - Licensing - Seeking Alpha

OK ......it is now actively discussed out in the general non-BB audience. With fairly similar points as this thread.

So any bets as to the chances that licensing of BB10 will actually happen? Will it happen as a last ditch survival effort? Or as part of a bigger strategy to expand?

[Cozz4ever]

A hook-up with Sony wouldn't be a strength, it would be a sign of weakness.

yeah...um...Android is weak.

Licensing is the fastest way to grow an ecosystem. In no way does BB loose when Sony blasts "BB10" all over it's commercials even if they produce competing units. Exposure is key to an early ecosystem.

[m0de25]

I posted this in another thread (BBRY shares)... personally, I think it would be a HUGE win for BlackBerry:
.....................

I don't necessarily see Sony entering a partnership at the low end (but I suppose they would be capable, given their huge supply chain clout)

The excitement would be in Sony's high end hardware specs/capabilities and cross platform opportunities (tablets , laptops, gaming console, tvs, mp3 players, cameras, *car stereos, etc). BlackBerry and BB developers would benefit huge in terms of flourishing its ecosystem across Sony hardware, and Sony stands to gain from a unique, trusted and *secure* OS that can tie everything together . (As it stands right now, Sony is getting drowned out in the iOS and Android noise - only Apple and Samsung are truly making money on hardware sales, so BB10 can help them differentiate)

Sony's world leading hardware combined with BB's rock solid software and embedded infrastructure would be a perfect match... A lot of pros and not many cons - ie, I wouldn't foresee much negativity on the security front, versus a deal that was previously rumored with Lenovo.

[Shanerredflag]

And what's saying it is a phone license? M2M. Just saying

Posted using CrackBerry App on BB10

[RubberChicken76]

Windows phone has either overtaken BB, or has closed the gap considerably (depending on which metric used) in the last quarter

They likely sold more last quarter while the world was waiting for BlackBerry 10, and Microsoft launched Windows Phone 8. There is likely still a massive gap between the number of people in the world using a BlackBerry device and the number of people in the world using a Windows Phone device.

For those who haven't read the metrics lately:

Comscore says more active BlackBerry users in the US

ComScore: Windows Phone lost US market share in holiday quarter — Tech News and Analysis

Stategy Analytics says, "Microsoft Windows Phone overtook BlackBerry OS to become the third largest smartphone platform in the influential United States market during Q4 2012". I asked the author of the story and the person who did the study twice whether they meant more phones were sold in the fourth quarter or there were more active users. Neither replied, either time.

Windows Phone Tops BlackBerry In U.S. - Mobility - Smartphones -

Also - here's a fun third one I just found the other day from AdDuplex that sizes the Windows Phone market based on manufacturers. If this one is accurate, we might actually be able to use Nokia's windows phone metrics to extrapolate the size of the Windows Phone market over all.

Nokia Dominates Windows Phone Market With 78.13 Percent Share | Mobile & Apps

[asherwiin]

I don't know why people are negative on this. Imagine a PS4 or PSP running BB10 and having your BlackBerry device talking fully to your PS4. Sony still has recognition in Europe as a quality phone.

BB already licenses QNX to hundreds of companies and it is running on thousands of different devices, mostly embedded machine-to-machine stuff. So that part of the BB business is familiar with the licensing model. Cross-platform licensing of the BB10 enabled version of QNX to game consoles like the PS4 or the PSP, could enable seamless integration to any QNX powered BB10 device (Z10, Playbook with BB10 in the near future, etc.). It is pretty clear that the event-horizon game plan for BB is to consumerize QNX into the end-user mass market, and move it beyond its dominant position as the embedded O/S of choice in the industrial world. With the transparent distributed processing capabilities of QNX, the game console could simply become an extension of the handset, and vice-versa, no 'app' required. Imagine a world where every consumer device you interact with (i.e. game console, TV, stereo, car, oven, printer, thermostat, coffee maker, etc.) is running a compatible version of QNX. You enter a building and automatically your phone is aware of, and can interact any or all with these devices - again, no app required (tough to install apps on a coffee maker or toaster...).

The potential is massive - a true game changer. Apple, Google, Microsoft have nothing that could match it, and are a decade behind the commercialization of a micro-kernal, distributed operating system. (Remember, BB is piggy-backing on two decades of R&D in QNX.) If (and this is the big bet) BB can successfully execute on the consumerization of QNX (and their first attempt with the Z10 looks pretty promising so far) and place a QNX powered mobile computing device (not just a phone!) into the hands of tens of millions, hopefully hundreds of millions of users over the next decade, they will have created a new paradigym for mobile computing.

[geoffsdad]

At some point, Blackberry has got to get some QNX powered Home Electronics to market. Sony might be able to make this happen sooner rather than later! I just hope I can afford that QNX powered smart TV

[tinker2000]

That experia Z with BB10 would have got my money

[BB.David]

yeah...um...Android is weak.

Licensing is the fastest way to grow an ecosystem. In no way does BB loose when Sony blasts "BB10" all over it's commercials even if they produce competing units. Exposure is key to an early ecosystem.

But Android is an open source, no license fee platform powered by Google. The manufacture (Samsung, HTC, etc.) and its skin are the main branding... the average person calls an Galaxy S3, an S3.... not an Android phone.

Having BlackBerry 10 on a Sony phone, it will be a Sony phone with an unknown OS on top of it. BlackBerry has to built a brand and app ecosystem first. If there going to team up with hardware company, it's going to be a lesser known manufacture where BlackBerry is still the main or only branding on the phone/device. IMO of course.