[anon(3641385)]

Okay, so my still evolving thinking is: Chen is suggesting that from now on BB for the individual is about apps; and for business BB is about platforms and/or apps.

Individuals: bb apps like the non bb phones using android and apple can now access
business: BES, in whatever form evolves, and/or apps specific to BES or android style apps

As to an oem designer/producer: yeah, that too, if they come along.

But it seems that even if an oem comes along then it may be quite a while before they'd be in a position to get their product to market, and it may have limited BB OS or apps, but enough to satisfy licensing requirements. So, not the full BB experience that we currently get.

The Indonesian example appears to be that they are not getting all of bb's offerings, just some. eg apparently not getting the security suite. Whatever the Indonesians are getting is sufficient for BB to licence however.

[Troy Tiscareno]

Chen is doing what any CEO would do in his situation: spinning bad news in the best way possible.

He's focusing on the fact that BB is going to be hands-off and taking no financial risks on phones anymore (which investors are happy to hear, because BB's phone division has done nothing but LOSE money for about 25 straight quarters). He's saying "there will be more phones in the future, because we're licensing the name, the apps, the security, and the PKB."

What he isn't talking much about is that the few people interested in the license will be interested in the name, not the security and probably not the PKB either - and Chen knows this perfectly well and is allowing companies to license only those portions they want to use - so they don't have to license the security or the PKB.

I'm sure he actually knows that it's very unlikely that any manufacturer will ever license the PKB or the security. Hell, I think it's unlikely that any manufacturer who DOES license the name will renew that license - I think a couple of people will give the BB brand a try, discover that they can't really get a premium for BB-branded devices, and they'll let their license expire and try something else.

I also think that most BB fans wouldn't want the licensed phones anyway - they're going to be entry-level or low-mid-grade phones at best, and only offered in a couple of markets with radios that won't work in North America - and won't be supported outside of their home market.

So, despite the spin, expect that the last desirable BB devices to be either the DTEK60 or - if Chen decides to release it, the Mercury. I suspect that BB's investors are heavily pressuring him to cancel the Mercury - especially now that everyone knows that BB won't be around to support it very long. I guess we'll see.