[Knightcrawler]

BlackBerry takeover offer buys company time - Canada - CBC News

So all of a sudden the new turns (slightly) positive. *sigh*

Now they're talking about other parts of the business that are worth more then the sum of their parts, and admitting how the company's brand perception has been shot to hell in the media (though admittedly it was their own doing).

[jaydee5799]

Hearing that the news turned slightly positive gives some of us hope, right?
Thanks for the info!

[JasW]

Depends what you mean by "positive." That BBRY can remain a going concern? Yes, that's positive. But given that the focus here at CB has always been on the phone product, what the two analysts are quoted in the piece as saying is not positive, at least for those of us who want BBRY to keep making phones:

Misek said BlackBerry should focus on its services business.

"Job number one is shut down as much of the handset business as possible. Refocus, retool on services. Make sure you're the number one mobile device management provider, cloud provider for Android and iPhone and mobile devices globally," he said.

Levy called the company's handset division an "albatross around the rest of the company's neck."

[Knightcrawler]

From the Boards point of view, it seems they want to stay in the handset business, but with a focus on enterprise. I think they should cut down their devices further, something akin to what apple does. Sell just one BlackBerry. Maybe 2, if you have a full screen and a QWERTY version.

[JasW]

From the Boards point of view, it seems they want to stay in the handset business, but with a focus on hardware. I think they should cut down their devices further, something akin to what apple does. Sell just one BlackBerry. Maybe 2, if you have a full screen and a QWERTY version.

The only thing I've heard from the Board's point of view is what Board chair Stymiest said yesterday, which was merely some fluff about seeking the best possible outcome and keeping alive the possibility of alternative proposals to that of Fairfax. Nothing about the nature of the business itself. Watsa just said he saw BBRY as a company focused on delivering enterprise solutions -- which doesn't necessarily include delivering handsets.

[Knightcrawler]

I cant recall where exactly, but there was mention of providing a complete solution to enterprises, which included the word hardware. I'll post it if i find it again.

Besides, their handset business isn't making money in the consumer market, but they've always stressed the need to offer a "complete" solution to enterprises. That's why i think they'll keep offering hardware. It may just be a package deal with BES10 or something, where they shift down to "selling" just one or two types of blackberry's. I think that would be a smarter option.

But that raises the question, in the BYOD era, who would want a corporate issued BlackBerry when they can just use their ios/droid/wp8 device with a Secure Workspace solution. So you may be right.

[JasW]

I cant recall where exactly, but there was mention of providing a complete solution to enterprises, which included the word hardware. I'll post it if i find it again.

Besides, their handset business isn't making money in the consumer market, but they've always stressed the need to offer a "complete" solution to enterprises. That's why i think they'll keep offering hardware. It may just be a package deal with BES10 or something, where they shift down to "selling" just one or two types of blackberry's. I think that would be a smarter option.

But that raises the question, in the BYOD era, who would want a corporate issued BlackBerry when they can just use their ios/droid/wp8 device with a Secure Workspace solution. So you may be right.

You're thinking of the announcement from last week, and these two bullet points in it:

* Company to refocus on enterprise and prosumer market, offering end-to-
end solutions, including hardware, software and services

* Future smartphone portfolio will transition from 6 devices to 4;
focusing on enterprise and prosumer-centric devices, including 2 high-
end devices and 2 entry-level devices

I just don't think it's possible for a refocused BBRY to go forward while still making handsets. Too few people want them, even in enterprise, and it's a cash drain to invest in their development. Fairfax or any other buyer is not going to put money into that when they have debt to pay off and need something that will provide them with a reliable revenue source.