[ToniCipriani]

For the love of pete, stop attributing this comment to me lol. I mentioned the rumor started by someone else, I didn't say anything about it was true. The source of the rumors: http://forums.crackberry.com/blackbe...rumor-1091051/

Now with this news out there finally, any guesses on how long it'll be before they announce the end of BB10? Or will they ride that out for as long as they can?

I hope soon. A lot of people here really need that bang on their head to put them out of misery.

Unless they are going with my other theory on deploying BB10 on a "per project contract" basis. By means high-security companies pay upfront to get the devices ordered, together with servers deployed as a bundle. I mean they didn't work on that NIAP certification for nothing, there has to be some return on investment. Kind of like the ObamaBerry back then, specific setup with special purpose devices.

And hey, I don't know, maybe those BB10 nutjobs can crowdfund their own exclusive, high-security BB10-only network so we normal people don't have to hear about them anymore. I'm sure BlackBerry will be more than happy to build them one if they can fork out, I don't know, a billion dollar project.

[BB-JAM215]

For the love of pete, stop attributing this comment to me lol. I mentioned the rumor started by someone else, I didn't say anything about it was true. The source of the rumors: http://forums.crackberry.com/blackbe...rumor-1091051/ :

That was probably my fault. At least I try to keep track of the facts.

Now with this news out there finally, any guesses on how long it'll be before they announce the end of BB10? Or will they ride that out for as long as they can?

There you go again, setting up another rumor.

[ChainPunch]

I think after BlackBerry gets all their android devices on android 7, is when they will officially announce that bb10 is over. I believe this is going happen right around the time that blackberry will be financial out of the hardware business.

With the release of the mercury, BlackBerry will finally have a full android portfolio that mimics what they had with previous devices portfolios without duplications. slider, low cost touch screen, flagship touchscreen, and classic blackberry keyboard device.

[ToniCipriani]

I think after BlackBerry gets all their android devices on android 7, is when they will officially announce that bb10 is over. I believe this is going happen right around the time that blackberry will be financial out of the hardware business.

With the release of the mercury, BlackBerry will finally have a full android portfolio that mimics what they had with previous devices portfolios without duplications. slider, low cost touch screen, flagship touchscreen, and classic blackberry keyboard device.

Lines up with Chen saying "he will adopt Android when it's secure enough." Android N with NIAP certification fits the bill.

https://berryflow.com/2016/10/blackb...-android-2017/

[pizzawheel]

And hey, I don't know, maybe those BB10 nutjobs can crowdfund their own exclusive, high-security BB10-only network so we normal people don't have to hear about them anymore. I'm sure BlackBerry will be more than happy to build them one if they can fork out, I don't know, a billion dollar project.

Must find that billion dollar note I got from Zimbabwe... hope it wasn't one with an expiry date.

Lines up with Chen saying "he will adopt Android when it's secure enough." Android N with NIAP certification fits the bill.

https://berryflow.com/2016/10/blackb...-android-2017/

And then the BB10 blind alley will be done and we can all hopefully live happily ever after on droidberry.

[js8229]

So, out of curiosity, does anyone think that it's possible for TCL to have been able to license the crown jewels (BB10) from Chen?

It seems to me that any deal for Android software would have been fairly lightweight as TCL/Alcatel could have done that mostly on their own, and I'm not sure the Blackberry brand would have been enough to make any deal work well for a licensee going for yet another Android device in an already overcrowded market.

BB10 however would give them a edge...and with the right pricing and marketing it might work. Also turns Blackberry into a Microsoft-esque software house for licensees without the hardware risk and overhead. If it didn't work, blackberry might just get a few bucks in royalties. If it did work, suddenly Blackberry is much more valuable.

[conite]

So, out of curiosity, does anyone think that it's possible for TCL to have been able to license the crown jewels (BB10) from Chen?

It seems to me that any deal for Android software would have been fairly lightweight as TCL/Alcatel could have done that mostly on their own, and I'm not sure the Blackberry brand would have been enough to make any deal work well for a licensee going for yet another Android device in an already overcrowded market.

BB10 however would give them a edge...and with the right pricing and marketing it might work. Also turns Blackberry into a Microsoft-esque software house for licensees without the hardware risk and overhead. If it didn't work, blackberry might just get a few bucks in royalties. If it did work, suddenly Blackberry is much more valuable.

The deal was for the BlackBerry Android security software and apps.

BB10 has little to no value.

[curves2000]

When people say BlackBerry will kill BlackBerry 10, what exactly are you referring to that isn't happening already?

We all know there won't be anymore devices, outside of a security release which just happened, not much else will occur. Sell out the existing inventory and call it a day. All the support network, warranty people and such will no longer be part of the company going forward.

Or are people saying that there will be an official EOL announcement?

I just bought a Passport SE during the recent sale and I love it. I know full well there isn't much happening in terms of upgrades or support but I am curious if I am missing anything that I don't see?

I recently confirmed with a tech support rep that my BlackBerry Passport will have tech support for the warranty period but that's about it.

I just don't see them shutting down BlackBerry World or BBM not working on BB10 devices etc. Just trying to fill in the gaps I guess. I can't think of anything that will occur that's already not happened or expected??

Posted via CB10

[slagman5]

When people say BlackBerry will kill BlackBerry 10, what exactly are you referring to that isn't happening already?

We all know there won't be anymore devices, outside of a security release which just happened, not much else will occur. Sell out the existing inventory and call it a day. All the support network, warranty people and such will no longer be part of the company going forward.

Or are people saying that there will be an official EOL announcement?

I just bought a Passport SE during the recent sale and I love it. I know full well there isn't much happening in terms of upgrades or support but I am curious if I am missing anything that I don't see?

I recently confirmed with a tech support rep that my BlackBerry Passport will have tech support for the warranty period but that's about it.

I just don't see them shutting down BlackBerry World or BBM not working on BB10 devices etc. Just trying to fill in the gaps I guess. I can't think of anything that will occur that's already not happened or expected??

Posted via CB10

It'll be like the end of The Avengers or The Phantom Menace, they turn something off and all of the phones suddenly stop working... ;-)

Posted without the aid of AutoCorrect with my physical keyboard via CB10

[ToniCipriani]

So, out of curiosity, does anyone think that it's possible for TCL to have been able to license the crown jewels (BB10) from Chen?

They can, but clearly they don't want to. Press release explicitly states Android.

[anon(55900)]

This is weird, Chinese made phones, at least the lower end phones, so far, have been found to contain spying built in. Which is why I despise Motorola. For a security expert, I can't understand BB going with a pure Chinese company. China's Xiaomi Smartphones May Be Spying on You

[conite]

This is weird, Chinese made phones, at least the lower end phones, so far, have been found to contain spying built in. Which is why I despise Motorola. For a security expert, I can't understand BB going with a pure Chinese company. China's Xiaomi Smartphones May Be Spying on You

All with BlackBerry hardware root of trust and BlackBerry software. Should be no problem.

[anon(55900)]

If spying is etched into a chip, I seriously doubt anything BB does or can do would prevent it from sending out info it is programmed to capture and send out. BB is designed to protect from outside intrusion and not internal I would figure.

[curves2000]

I recall when the Classic was launched that John Chen made a big emphasis to confirm that the Classics that were for "regulated customers" would not be made in China from Foxconn due to security concerns.

When I purchased my Classic from Wind Mobile, I noticed it was made in China and I was surprised. I emailed BlackBerry Investor Relations to confirm what I had heard on the earnings call and they confirmed it.

For "regulated customers" the Classic would not be made in China.

Either they have some safeguards in place or the regulated customers aren't concerned or it will be a VERY SMALL amount of handsets that will be sold going forward for governments and regulated clients that it won't matter. Curious regardless but best of luck!

Posted via CB10

[ToniCipriani]

I recall when the Classic was launched that John Chen made a big emphasis to confirm that the Classics that were for "regulated customers" would not be made in China from Foxconn due to security concerns.

When I purchased my Classic from Wind Mobile, I noticed it was made in China and I was surprised. I emailed BlackBerry Investor Relations to confirm what I had heard on the earnings call and they confirmed it.

For "regulated customers" the Classic would not be made in China.

Either they have some safeguards in place or the regulated customers aren't concerned or it will be a VERY SMALL amount of handsets that will be sold going forward for governments and regulated clients that it won't matter. Curious regardless but best of luck!

Posted via CB10

Maybe the cameraless variant isn't?

[conite]

If spying is etched into a chip, I seriously doubt anything BB does or can do would prevent it from sending out info it is programmed to capture and send out. BB is designed to protect from outside intrusion and not internal I would figure.

BlackBerry controls all the software. How will your secret chip communicate its "info" ?

[anon(9607753)]

It's interesting because if this truly is an extension of what they did with TCL on the DTEK's...does that not mean BlackBerry is essentially still in the phone business after all? I mean honestly...its kind of splitting hairs to say this is a licensing deal, if BlackBerry is still paying to have the phones built, and selling them. No financial details of this 'arrangement' have been released...

[anon(55900)]

You give me a total explanation how BlackBerry security works, which you can't, then I'll tell you how. If the phone mnfcr has all the details of how the phone protection works, which from what I understand some is also hardware, it ought to simple, for gawds sake any thing can be broken into, and if you have all the factors and are building it..... duh

[ChainPunch]

It's interesting because if this truly is an extension of what they did with TCL on the DTEK's...does that not mean BlackBerry is essentially still in the phone business after all? I mean honestly...its kind of splitting hairs to say this is a licensing deal, if BlackBerry is still paying to have the phones built, and selling them. No financial details of this 'arrangement' have been released...

It is a shell game plain and simple. Blackberry gets hardware off its books and can report straight profit from the license deal, as even a little profit is better than having to take a lost along with inventory write downs.

[ChainPunch]

It's interesting because if this truly is an extension of what they did with TCL on the DTEK's...does that not mean BlackBerry is essentially still in the phone business after all? I mean honestly...its kind of splitting hairs to say this is a licensing deal, if BlackBerry is still paying to have the phones built, and selling them. No financial details of this 'arrangement' have been released...

It's interesting because if this truly is an extension of what they did with TCL on the DTEK's...does that not mean BlackBerry is essentially still in the phone business after all? I mean honestly...its kind of splitting hairs to say this is a licensing deal, if BlackBerry is still paying to have the phones built, and selling them. No financial details of this 'arrangement' have been released...

It is a shell game plain and simple. Blackberry gets hardware off its books and can report straight profit from the license deal, as even a little profit is better than having to take a lost along with inventory write downs.

[curves2000]

Maybe the cameraless variant isn't?

It might have been the camaraless version. Perhaps the regulated industries had an option??



Posted via CB10

[twelvezero8]

This is weird, Chinese made phones, at least the lower end phones, so far, have been found to contain spying built in. Which is why I despise Motorola. For a security expert, I can't understand BB going with a pure Chinese company. China's Xiaomi Smartphones May Be Spying on You

Security professional here.. All I will say is beggars can't be choosers. I believe BlackBerry went with them because they were the only company willing to do it. That's my opinion... don't believe companies were knocking down there door to offer to make phones for them.

[ardakca]

TCL should spend time for future berries. No reason for same phone different branding. Kind of shooting their own foot.

[conite]

TCL should spend time for future berries. No reason for same phone different branding. Kind of shooting their own foot.

Same hardware, different software is my guess. Keep price down. Software is the differentiation in a sea of slabs anyway.

[ardakca]

Same hardware, different software is my guess. Keep price down. Software is the differentiation in a sea of slabs anyway.

Don't see any reason to use BlackBerry name. They could have just used their software. If tcl up their game on design just a notch they can simply use BlackBerry name. Would gain more traction than alcatel.