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If BlackBerry lost in hardware is it not inevitable they will also lose in software where the competion is just as formidable.
Without hand sets why would a large company or government be interested in a BlackBerry security solution as opposed to what Google or apple can currently or in the near future offer?
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That's exactly what is going to happen. BlackBerry is now going to either be a VERY small player or fold. Their track record with "SOFTWARE " updates is abysmal.
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True statement, but now focusing only on software i would hope that would change.
No it's not a foregone conclusion that they will lose. There will be competition and generally some lose and others win. If you think it's a foregone conclusion explain your reasoning and maybe BlackBerry will just cut cheques and call it a day.
No its not necessarily a foregone conclusion and I'm far from an expert on these matters but it is a legitimate thought.
Why would software pan out any differently, are they are better equipped in this area to compete?
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Because this market is not yet mature and they are better positioned. If Apple or Google decide to come after this business they can buy it and the shareholders win. Microsoft might also be interested.
That's what concerns me, large companies like that could have easily bought them but haven't. They may just come out with their own solutions and by pass them all together which should be easier now with BlackBerry out of the hardware game.
Time will tell.
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Time will tell. :)
BB has existing Enterprise software offerings (mostly gained through acquisition, but whatever) that already have paying customers. If Google or Apple wanted that pie, it might be easier to buy BB than spend the money developing a competitor product and fighting for some of BB's pie. So, BB has the potential to "win" (from a shareholder's perspective) in two ways: by increasing the size of the BB Enterprise pie, or by being acquired by a bigger player. I doubt Chen minds which way it goes.
Why would Apple/Google be interested in BB now rather than before? Well, to state the obvious, future-BB won't have a loss-making Hardware side dragging down the company and are therefore a more attractive target. Nobody would buy BB while they still had a Hardware side. No potential buyer is interested in their phones (they don't sell), and they'd incur extra costs if they bought BB and then had to close Hardware down themselves. Now they won't have to kill Hardware (Chen has done that for them), and BB is much more attractive as a proposition.
This case reminds me so much of the demise of a company that used to be based in my home town, that company was a large concern in the UK brewing industry that had diversified into hotels. In the late 1990's the brewing side of the business wasn't doing as well as hotels (still turning a profit though) and the shareholders were getting restless, a new chief executive was appointed who quickly deduced that the company needed to shed itself of the shackles of its traditional brewing business and be reborn as a hotel chain.
The breweries were closed and the workers were fired and the fans(drinkers) cried and the company became known by the name of its hotel division, it lasted less than a year before a larger chain snapped it up because once the hard work of closing a long established manufacturing infrastructure was done it was all gravy for the buyer.
The most favoured beers were saved by former directors of the breweries and they continue to be brewed in the city and are popular on a much smaller scale but available non the less though some diehards would say they aren't the beers they were when the 170 year old brewery made them.
Funny old world business.
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Some possible advantages: Software has typically much higher margins. Hardware has a lot of fixed costs (infrastructure) that may not be appropriate to use for multiple years whereas software development tools can be very expensive but once the software is sold the company can realize recurring revenue (e.g. subscriptions) on multiple users. Customization of niche but desirable software may give a company a valuable niche. IMO software offers a little more maneuvering room than hardware does for a company like Blackberry, given the competition. Handsets is crazy ferocious. Software has formidable opponents but far fewer and dev costs between the companies is likely more similar.
Some substantial roadblocks, as mentioned. I think BBRY is more than capable of making technically clever software (like Bridge) but it wasn't very wise commercially (not good idea to tick off carriers). Smart managers with clear smart direction from above is crucial. I don't think they had that before and I confess I am not sure they have it now. But when squished between two hungry devils, taking on the smaller one with fewer teeth is prudent, I should say.
For me the handsets were BlackBerry, without these devices blackberry will become a forgotten company in the public and business eye. Will they then be taken seriously as people are already talking about how blackberry has stopped producing everything!! (been taking a right beating at work for still using a blackberry!! Because of BlackBerry's handling of there annoucement!!) .
For me BlackBerry really need to push their phones, and I mean push, blow the budget on advertising, to really show people and businesses that blackberry is still a major player in the hardware and software development, and not just a company that is falling on its arse!!
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That's an incredibly terrible way to look at it. The software on handsets has very little in relation to their actual vision of software. When they speak of being a software company, they're not speaking about handsets at all lol. All of their other software is updated often, including everything based on Good, BES12, etc. I know you're not a BlackBerry lover, but come on, don't get things too twisted in your hate lol.
What is BES12?? In layman's terms? (I'm thick ok!!)
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Software for controlling multiple devices and operating systems in a secure environment.
BES12 Multi-OS MDM - Canada
Oughhh thankyou blaze :)
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Well, in SDLC and promotion process, most companies don't like change else it needed (say they are losing money). Like SAP ERP, once you're in, you're in for a long time (they charge a fee if you break off before end of contract). In that case, blackberry can compete.
Emperor of Texas & California.
Terrible??? Perhaps but quite accurate. The vision is shortsighted and distorted. Right now simple issues aren't being addressed on the Software side of BES 12.4 and still haven't in 12.5. especially with respect to the Priv, yet they were pushing the Android device on the unsuspecting client.
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Say what you want, but BES/Good is still rated the best in all 6 categories of EMM.
BlackBerry software recognized by Gartner for Critical Capabilities in High-Security Mobility Management http://www.crackberry.com/blackberry...ity-management
Yes it was, hence the reason we continued. But with the handset division gone and uncertainty surrounding BlackBerry, I'm afraid it's over for us. It's been a great run with BlackBerry but too much has been done to the brand. From the early days of their paging system we have used BlackBerry. Too bad that management has lost their way. Furthermore many don't get a pass bashing BlackBerry these pass few years and then hypocritically come here to say that there are virtues to BlackBerry at this stage of the game and this goes for the tech sites and forums who helped destroy BlackBerry.
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Your post is a bit creepy. Are we entering restraining order territory? [emoji12]
Perhaps ;-)
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In Enterprise mobile communications software, Blackberry has market share, a portfolio of well-respected products and thousands of patents. My guess is that they will do well and be bought out within five years, making their recent investors significant profits.
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That is basically hardware. That's OS updates. Otherwise, they do good.
No I'm referring to BES, there are basic issues with the PRIV that have NOT been addressed. Again rush a device to market and they are ill prepared to deal with it.
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Is the EMM market growing at this point? How many companies today are buying stand alone EMM for their users? And how much of the market is moving toward products that offer much more than just EMM?
What I expect is that at some point, once they have shed off the burdens of hardware... some larger company that is wanting to expanded or improve their offerings will absorb BlackBerry. And as the BlackBerry name has little value... compared to Good, Athoc, Securesmart, Watchdox or QNX...
Chen is running low on Cash, and I just don't think he can buy all the parts to compete with the offerings like IBM, VMware, Microsoft or even Google have. And you pull SAF and Mobility Solutions out of the revenue stream (which for the most part those are fading anyway).... you really have to question if there is any organic growth at all. How much of Good's business have they lost? They like to talk about "wins", but revenues shows there are also a lot of losses.
Last year
Non-GAAP revenue for the second quarter of fiscal 2016 was $491 million with GAAP revenue of $490 million.
GAAP revenue reflects a purchase accounting write down of deferred revenue associated with the acquisition of
WatchDox. The revenue breakdown for the quarter was approximately 15% for software and services, 41% for
hardware, and 43% for service access fees (SAF).
This year
Non-GAAP revenue for the second quarter of fiscal 2017 was $352 million with GAAP revenue of $334 million.
The non-GAAP revenue breakdown for the quarter was approximately 44% for software and services, 26% for
service access fees (SAF), and 30% for mobility solutions.
They went from $74 million to $156 million is software and services revenues... which is great. Only they added AtHoc and Good's revenues between then and now... and Good reportedly had over $200 Million in revenues alone, and we know AtHoc has been doing very well. Where is QNX revenues and BES revenues?
Will software be easier area for them to compete in.... I do think they have a shot, but it won't be easy.