Brilliant opine by OP, studious responses by and large, love it .Borderline sticky. So good. Thanks OP!
Printable View
Brilliant opine by OP, studious responses by and large, love it .Borderline sticky. So good. Thanks OP!
My fellow conspiracy theorists, I ask you; is it merely a coincidence that John Chen, an American (and probably on retainer for the NSA), has handed another once iconic Canadian company over to a U.S. economic juggernaut, Goggle, on a silver platter?
What you don't know is that Maple Syrup and Tar Sands are next on the agenda.
Posted via CB10
Ask me again when Google buys/swallows BlackBerry
Yes, that's strange. You'd think it would be Stephen Harper selling Canada to the lowest bidder.
Posted via CB10
I (IMHO) give Chen more credit. It's not about him being incompetent. It could have been a lot better.....of course. The fact that the Priv is coming out and the most information we've received about the device is on here - with a variety of pop- ups on Android sites claiming to revert as soon as it's available, not much happening (for promo). When the BOLD 9000 and the Torch 9800 were out, we were seeing commercials prior to it's releases. This "is" supposed to be a very important device with sells being crucial as to where BlackBerry goes from here- staying in or getting out. Again, a "Universal", non-carrier specific commercial could already have the word going out and getting curiosity a lot higher than "members" arguing about a goddamn camera, or why members should rally around BlackBerry and keep our comments to ourselves........while Chen is just going thru the motions for the Priv, he is prepping just in case it doesn't sell as anticipated. This is the same one that was (like Thors with the Z10) working on the carriers to support and push this awesome new Android/BlackBerry Slider. From what I've seen and read -so far, if the Priv sells- great; if it doesn't (Chen shrugs), business as usual. Hey, I could be all wrong, but, based on the mistakes of the past and how highly praised this guy was for saving/salvaging/ dropping certain parts of companies that are not doing well(at all), he's following the agenda.
NOPE.
It's a sincere effort to make the Handsets division viable for the foreseeable future. The theory that Chen is trying to kill handsets by switching to Android is nutty in the extreme, no offense.
If he was trying to kill hardware, he never would have allowed a BB Android device to be released. *OR* he would have released a half arsed hardware variant that was klonky from the onset.
Look around the Android forums. There's genuine excitement for the device.
Your theory is half-baked, not the Priv. :)
I don't think it was plan A but it was his backup plan. He even said he was hoping the fire phone would be a success so the amazon store would become better stocked which didn't happen.
I've said the same thing and up until recently at that, too, but how long was Chen a member of the Board? Thor had been with BlackBerry for a few years and worked his way up. Chen just appeared out of nowhere and right off the bat he was named head honcho of the Board and the interim CEO. Unless he had been a Board member over the course of a few years BlackBerry's past, and more particular BB10, should, and would, be irrelevant to him.
You know, once Chen had done his job and stabilized Sybase he very soon decided to skip the whole rebranding/rebuilding phase and went straight for the kill (of the competition, not the company). He took a huge risk that paid off big time. That is the kind of guy that Chen is and that is why he was made CEO.
Here is an interview with Chen about Sybase from 2010 (actually, a few. Look them up to see what kind of CEO he is). Most of what he is talking about is in reference to 2000 and the early 2000s. And it all sounds eerily familiar.
Sybase CEO John Chen: Tale of a Turnaround | ITworld
Chen may or may not like BB10 but that does not matter. He saw that it was not selling, saw BlackBerry's strength in security, and took that to the people.
NOPE.
...and none taken. This is what forums are (or should be!) for, a place for civilised debate. :)
Hardware brings in 40% of revenue, but the division isn't profitable. The Priv might have to sell in Apple-like quantities to return a profit from hardware and, despite there being some genuine consumer interest, the proof of whether it will be enough will be revealed in the next quarterly figures.
Chen, no more than Thor, can't stop selling hardware while it's still a big chunk of revenue even though he has declared more than once that he wants BB to become an Enterprise Software thing. He needs that revenue to make the transition to that sunny software&services place where unicorns frolic and rainbows sparkle. :)
As to the Priv not being half-baked, I agree with you, the Priv has some very nice features. However, that's because it has to be attractive to potential buyers, or it wouldn't sell. Releasing a half-baked clunker would be folly - it would be monumentally stupid to actually aim to fail. Chen isn't stupid, or suicidal, so the Priv isn't designed to be a clunker; he's desperate for the Priv to sell and give him that revenue to complete the transition, so he's made the Priv as an attractive, high-spec phone to give it the best chance of selling well.
Whether, once that transition to software is complete, he'll close down hardware will depend on how well the Priv sells. If the Priv makes the Hardware Division profitable, he may choose to keep it as "gravy", if he no longer needs the revenue and the Hardware Division remains a cost... it's gone.
I believe the same timescales are in play as they were previously - BB10 sales trend to zero in 9 months, so the Priv has 9 months to prove it can be a winner for BB. That's consistent with Chen's own thoughts on this - a "decision within the year" is what I think he said.
BlackBerry engineers didn't have zero experience with Android. They've had the Android Runtime since 2011 and making a different OS work on top of another OS is a more difficult problem than just porting.
If I was the BlackBerry CEO I would've done the same.
Switching to android but not Killin BlackBerry 10
I thought of that before Chen, honestly speaking.
Posted via CB10
Finally someone else sees John Chen's "vision". I also think the BlackBerry Android Operation Software (BBAOS) was conceived well over a year ago.
Think how long it took RIM/ML/TH to release BB10 and what a POS the OS was when it first came out. It was a down grade from BBOS7. That and no track pad on the Q10 is why the majority of existing Berryheads did not switch.
I and other 9900 users called BlackBerry on the deplorable BB10.1. It wasn't till last fall that BB10 was acceptable and then finally the Passport and Classic. "To little to late?"
It takes more than 6 months to make the big OS change. At least a year? (Edit: ....with the reduced staff)
(Edit:)....... look back to 14 months ago at the heated decision on BB10 deplorable state and how I thought the OS could have been developed if there was a "billion dollars" to make the change in less than a year. JC's "180" just proves it can be done and he didn't have the funds and resources RIM/ML/TH had in 2010. Maybe I should go back see who called me out? (/Edit)
"Wish I was a mouse", was said about the first 6 months of John Chen's helm in the meeting with the existing executive staff.
Great leaders surround themselves with top compatible people. Notice the history "BlackBerry's" officers for the first 6-9 months of Chen's helm.
What gets me the most is Crackberry and the "wantabes" that post comment on how to run a billion dollar company when they probably have their wives take care of the checking account and/or never been sat on a board.
Sick to see thousands of negative "guessing", " I think", "forecasting" and more wantabes feeding and replying. All without any insight to what goes on.
John Chen and BlackBerry will be just fine. You and other people see his talent and "vision".
Time for the "naysayer" to bite their tongues or show credentials.
Great threat!
PIN 2COF829A
You did your home work.
PIN 2COF829A
Chen, with his credentials and experiences (even before joining BlackBerry), is a very competent CEO. He has a vision and a plan. And as a very competent CEO, he has contingency plan in case the original plan didn't materialise...
'Priv' is part of that contingency plan...
Posted via CB10
Is that a Freudian slip? ;)
I love this thread! My only comment here is to say that if you take the device division down to its bare minimum, how do you provide BlackBerry's vaunted end-to-end security with no devices?
JC himself said that he would never leave the hardware business because of this. I do think that yes Android is BlackBerry's plan B and that this decision was not taken lightly. I hope the phone does well.. well enough to make the device division profitable again and to continue BlackBerry 10 development. High hopes I know.
I don't wanna see plan C.
Posted via CB10
Here's the problem - what if you cannot make any money and there are no signs of any money providing this end to end security? What is the shareholder value in this?
I don't believe Chen's plan was to make an Android device all along. If the Classic and the Passport sold better, they probably wouldn't be making an Android powered Priv. The reality of continued marketshare declines and absolutely horrific handset sales dramatically influenced the decision to give Android a try. The app gap was way too difficult of a hurdle to overcome- even with the Amazon apps store partnership. It amazes me how many people can't see or won't see all of the things that were tried to salvage the BB10 platform. In the end, none of it really worked- except with the handful of core supporters.
I think at this point Chen hopes that selling 1 or 2 android devices combined with existing BB10 devices will bring profitability to the hardware division. I believe Chen's next move, if the Priv proves to be successful, is to release a full touchscreen android device with the exact same specs as the Priv (just take the keyboard off the Priv and make some minor adjustments).
I think Chen will keep BB10 around, but only for the classic and passport. Also, expect a synergy for specs if regard to form factors for BB10 as this will only blackberry to spend one time for driver development cost and expect blackberry to only release upgraded BB10 device every 2 years or so going forward.
In total I expect blackberry only to offer 4 devices with android getting the priority and bb10 devices having a much long upgrade replacement cycle.
If everything holds true to what I have outline, then we might get an upgraded BB10 classic with passport specs either sometime next year or 2017 as way to get the Passport and Classic on the same internals.
Posted via CB10
I tend to agree with the OP Chen was appointed as CEO with what can only be described as a coup. The board was gutted of all the old guard and Chen being an outsider could then make decisions without the emotional attachment that an insider has. And of course if that means the eventual abandonment of BB10 then so be it. IMHO if the powers that be that ran Blackberry back in the day had any vision they would have been one of the first device manufacturers that joined the OHA.
If you take away the physical keyboard from the Priv what then sets it apart from any of the hundreds of other Android devices out there already? The more likely move would to release a Passport or Classic form factor Android device.
For me, it all seems, "throw on the wall and see what sticks"
Even after poor sales, hardware is still 40%. He just can't abandon it and need cash flow coming out of it. If Priv wins, BB (whole or handset division) is also better positioned for buyouts from potential buyers.
Marketing, Developers relationship are two places, where Chen never gave a chance for BB10.
And who will buy an OS and device when its CEO says negative about profitability of it.
Okay, I can totally see that Android BlackBerry is on probation and he'll shut it down if he can't meet internal targets. Completely agree. I just think the idea that he has a deliberate plan to eliminate hardware far fetched. I think he has a contingency plan for IF it fails, but believe he is doing his best to make it succeed. I mean why not? Even if they're focusing primarily on software going forward why say no to a successful hardware stream?
I personally don't like the name and think they priced it too high for an inaugural device but see where they're coming from. And the 2mp front camera is probably a logistics decision as that was the most they could pack without sacrificing screen thinness. As simple as that.
I'm intrigued by the interest in the device. I sent the feature preview video to a friend on Android and he replied back that he's getting his company to pre-order it for him immediately. I'm still on the fence as I have everything I want and need in the Passport and love the form factor. If not for that, I'd have pulled the trigger already on the priv. Hopefully BlackBerry will manage to knock this one out of the park because I do think they have something unique to add to the market.
Anyway, i'm rambling, ha. You brought up some good points, thanks.
Posted via CB10
This. Chen never advertised bb10 devices and never showed any enthusiasm on any device launch. Not even for the Priv. He is a CEO that comes across as not believing in his products.