[Q90]

now that it is pretty much confirmed that blackberry is working up on android with upcoming devices,
what's your take on the android update for recently launched classic, passport, z3, ..and z30?

if the rumors are true, then will blackberry ever provide an update to convert those phones to android? or just abandon them.

note that the z3 was launched just recently, and /speculation/ is basically the look at what future blackberry android devices may look like. and blackberry can't just abandon the new devices just like that.

right?

[jaydee5799]

there has been no confirmation about android on bb devices, has there? isn't it all speculation so far?

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

now that it is pretty much confirmed that blackberry is working up on android with upcoming devices,
what's your take on the android update for recently launched classic, passport, z3, ..and z30?

if the rumors are true, then will blackberry ever provide an update to convert those phones to android? or just abandon them.

note that the z3 was launched just recently, and /speculation/ is basically the look at what future blackberry android devices may look like. and blackberry can't just abandon the new devices just like that.

right?

1) Not really confirmed.

2) I doubt it. They would have to unlock the Boot Rom to allow this to happen, and for security reasons I don't see them doing this. There will be some enterprise customers that will not be willing to change to Android and might even sue BlackBerry for providing a "hacking tool".

Device will still work, and may even get a few minor updates... It's not like the whole companies future hasn't been in question for the last two years anyway. So I really can't feel sorry for anyone that chose to buy a BlackBerry (especially a Z3) if this does happen.

[Q90]

there has been no confirmation about android on bb devices, has there? isn't it all speculation so far?

- CEO refuses to comment on implementing android, instead of denying it [the very start of this scenario]
- android port of major features
- CEO starts talking on securing android
- working closely with google
- working even closely with samsung for making a 'secure' android tablet
- 'will go to android if i can make it secure' - CEO
- passport on android photo leak from a developer
- venice comes to light, with talks of android

i know all of this is mere a speculation, but things are falling into their respective places, right?

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

i know all of this is mere a speculation, but things are falling into their respective places, right?

Too be honest, I don't really know what is going to happen. Just that based on sales I doubt development of BB10 can continue much further.

Could be a future BB device running Android.
Could be that BlackBerry is working hard to make the BlackBerry Experience along with BES the premium enterprise security solution.
Heck they could just drop BB10 and go back to installing BBOS on all new devices... Right now that just as likely as anything else.

[rthonpm]

- CEO refuses to comment on implementing android, instead of denying it [the very start of this scenario]
- android port of major features
- CEO starts talking on securing android
- working closely with google
- working even closely with samsung for making a 'secure' android tablet
- 'will go to android if i can make it secure' - CEO
- passport on android photo leak from a developer
- venice comes to light, with talks of android

i know all of this is mere a speculation, but things are falling into their respective places, right?

Let's go through your points:

BlackBerry has never really commented on rumours, so why start now? Something like a move to Android would be considered by regulators as something material to the performance of the stock so it would be something they would have to report.

Android port of features is part of a BES subscription package.

Securing Android talk from Chen: BlackBerry is an MDM company that covers all mobile platforms with BES, is he NOT going to try and secure a specific OS? When he was asked about Android, he said to make devices using it the OS would have to be secure, which could be read as Chen saying there is a core issue with Android in terms of security.

Google works with a lot of companies, including competitors. BlackBerry also has a vested interest in making sure that BES has the proper hooks to work with Google's KNOX variant Android for Work. Google just wants Android on everything, and BlackBerry wants to have every phone covered by BES: there's a mutual interest in making sure that software integration is as smooth as possible.

The secure tablet wasn't done by BlackBerry and Samsung, it was done by Secusmart and Samsung. It was a project in the works before BlackBerry decided to purchase Secusmart. BlackBerry only had their name come up through lazy journalism that equates recent ownership of a company to a product that would have been in development well before a sale took place.

Again, Chen said he would make an Android device if he could make it secure. So if it can't be made as secure as his current OS why would he jeopardise the use authorisation BlackBerry currently has for secure networks and communications for many governments that Android and iOS don't have?

The photo of Android on a Passport has been confirmed as a fake created by the developer in a post about how he DID NOT want to see BlackBerry go to Android. Like almost anything, once the internet gets a hold of something provenance goes out the window and the original post is forgotten about and the doctored photo lives on.

Venice: again all anyone has seen of the device were a few fleeting glimpses a few months ago and a Photoshop render of one with Android on it that somehow has also taken a life of its own as some kind of official device photo.

All totaled, nothing about a move to Android looks to be anything more than sloppy analysis and speculation.

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