[Superfly_FR]

Besides all the drama and epidermic reactions we might have had (some were way smarter than me), after I saw the actual video of what Chen said (if you've not, please proceed before you comment : Watch the full replay of John Chen's interview from Code/Mobile | CrackBerry.com), there's something I found new and really interesting: what happens IF BlackBerry drops handset business.

On the video (start @ 14:00 [for context] if in a rush)

I could take somebody else phones and [...] OEM or resale or whatever it might be [and] my customer will not be leaved with like "where am I going ?"

[journalist] You say you can still do your security magic on other people's Android?
J.C : Oh ABSOLUTELY !

So, what's the bell ?
in one of its most criticized comments, Chen named two competitor's : Samsung and BlackPhone.

Wrapping up :
IF (write it font size 7) BlackBerry drop handset manufacturing they'll continue to sell handsets, made by a partner with their "magic" inside.
That's a pretty decent way to handle the problem, if you ask me. One of the options we discussed a while back, when they announced Samsung partnership ...

In short :
Shall BlackBerry drop handset manufacturing, you'll probably still be able to buy and sport a device with BlackBerry logo printed on it.

[howarmat]

or does he mean BES since that is really where the security comes from?

[Superfly_FR]

It could probably be another option, still, I believe he reaffirmed the "end to end" mantra.
He hinted that handset differs from hardware ("IoT devices") and they're still committed into that vision, especially for "highly secured" markets. He also voiced that to achieve that, he needs "real life" experience. Maybe not on a financial standpoint but technically.

But, again, dropping handset business would mean the leap has near to zero traction. My personal feeling is that the 5Mil. target is really achievable, that's only a tiny fraction of current Android user base. Shall I have a concern, it would be for the next Android device, depending how good they went (performances, OS lag, battery life, camera ...) with the Priv. Regardless of how you (or anyone) take it, Priv will raise a lot of curiosity, especially from former BlackBerry diehards that went Android for various reasons and want to give BlackBerry another shot.

P.S (Armchair CEO talk) : I really hope they will offer preorders ahead of first official reviews ...

[DaSchwantz]

Sorry - double post.

[Vorkosigan]

Chen has said before that true security requires end-to-end control starting with the handsets. It really makes me wonder how they've 'secured' an android phone. He did mention a pin - and that it would be more resilient - but I get the feeling that it wouldn't be secure enough for some of BlackBerry's customers.

I seem to recall though that they bought secusmart - unless I dreamed that. I wonder if they will make a more secure, locked down, variant for their most exacting customers?

Chen has actually continually surprised me. When I first heard about BlackBerry using Android I assumed, like many, that they would try to skin BB10 over it similar to TouchWiz. The idea made me ill. I thought that people would never understand how amazing BB10 could be if it ran like a clunky shell over an android base.

This move to use a more pure Android experience and add in BlackBerry security, HUB, search, email, and calendar, I see as a much much better way to go. It's still not for me - I prefer the BB10 gestures - but I have more interest now in seeing this phone than I did before.

Posted via CB10

[Superfly_FR]

In the video, he did state that if we want fully secured Android operations, we need to operate under BES ... (unless I heard it wrong)

[AnimalPak200]

Besides all the drama and epidermic reactions we might have had (some were way smarter than me), after I saw the actual video of what Chen said (if you've not, please proceed before you comment : Watch the full replay of John Chen's interview from Code/Mobile | CrackBerry.com), there's something I found new and really interesting: what happens IF BlackBerry drops handset business.

On the video (start @ 14:00 [for context] if in a rush)



So, what's the bell ?
in one of its most criticized comments, Chen named two competitor's : Samsung and BlackPhone.

Wrapping up :
IF (write it font size 7) BlackBerry drop handset manufacturing they'll continue to sell handsets, made by a partner with their "magic" inside.
That's a pretty decent way to handle the problem, if you ask me. One of the options we discussed a while back, when they announced Samsung partnership ...

In short :
Shall BlackBerry drop handset manufacturing, you'll probably still be able to buy and sport a device with BlackBerry logo printed on it.

Nah, I think what he means is... even if there is no BlackBerry branded device, BlackBerry customers will still be able to find what they used to get from BlackBerry via the BlackBerry Experience software, BES, etc.

Posted via CB10

[Jakob Greve]

Chen need to ensure people. So all he does is ensure enterprises that there'll still be BB10 whilst ensureing they can do everything on Android. If you look at the interview form a neutral perspective that's what he's saying. Whilst hinding they could very well abandon BB10 in time he makes sure to mention the two updates for BB10 and enterprise demand as an uncertain factor.

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

All I have right now to base the BlackBerry Experience on is BBM for Android... if the BlackBerry Experience has the same impact on devices as BBM does (or worse).... it would have to bring something pretty special to the table for even enterprise to want it.

And I'm still thinking that BlackBerry is going to lose a number of customers with this dropping yet again another whole platform.... just not sure how IT is going to explain this one to management and not be forced to find some "other" more long term and stable solution.

Still think Apple made the smart play by teaming up with IBM.... As it seems the guys fighting over marketshare - BES, GOOD and MobileIron are just all losing money.

[bungaboy]

"Yellow journalism, or the yellow press, is a type of journalism that presents little or no legitimate well-researched news and instead uses eye-catching headlines to sell more newspapers. Techniques may include exaggerations of news events, scandal-mongering, or sensationalism."

[sati01]

Knox security is on par with Priv and BlackPhone is even better. Other OEMs are also developing hardened devices. At some point, these security features will be included in the mainstream version of Android.

BlackBerry doesn't need the Priv.

[Superfly_FR]

Nah, I think what he means is... even if there is no BlackBerry branded device, BlackBerry customers will still be able to find what they used to get from BlackBerry via the BlackBerry Experience software, BES, etc.
Posted via CB10

TBH, I think many mis estimated Chen.
He quoted Samy and BlackPhone. Not Boeing (for instance). They called him stupid. Obviously he's not.
So, why, when Boeing's Black Smartphone is way more secured and BlackBerry already involved ?
So, I scratch my head. Don't you ?

[Superfly_FR]

Knox security is on par with Priv and BlackPhone is even better. Other OEMs are also developing hardened devices. At some point, these security features will be included in the mainstream version of Android.

BlackBerry doesn't need the Priv.

Knox + BES, he said
BlackPhone is another candidate, but keep in mind the extra $100 per year.
Not a customer darling, if you ask me.
But wait ... (part of) these $100 are for the use of their "private network".
(k)noc(k)-(k)noc(k) ?

Warning : I'm speculating full throttle.

[early2bed]

I think most people in technology would find it hard to believe that BlackBerry has security magic that they can add to other operating systems. BlackBerry's own operating systems may have been developed with security in mind but does that really mean the they can do this for other platforms?

Chen is probably referring to their security-mined communication and other enterprise apps. I think this will mostly be 3rd party software. I don't think Google, Apple, or Microsoft think they need BlackBerry to make their platforms more secure.

[Superfly_FR]

That's not what I meant, sorry if unclear.
What I meant in short is that BlackBerry could use OEM-like system and add some special chips (with BBID inside) to enable a knox/BB10-like reinfoced security. Or buy straight away Samsung knox enabled device with a BlackBerry logo printed on it.

[WaterTower]

Besides all the drama and epidermic reactions we might have had (some were way smarter than me), after I saw the actual video of what Chen said (if you've not, please proceed before you comment : Watch the full replay of John Chen's interview from Code/Mobile | CrackBerry.com), there's something I found new and really interesting: what happens IF BlackBerry drops handset business.

On the video (start @ 14:00 [for context] if in a rush)



So, what's the bell ?
in one of its most criticized comments, Chen named two competitor's : Samsung and BlackPhone.

Wrapping up :
IF (write it font size 7) BlackBerry drop handset manufacturing they'll continue to sell handsets, made by a partner with their "magic" inside.
That's a pretty decent way to handle the problem, if you ask me. One of the options we discussed a while back, when they announced Samsung partnership ...

In short :
Shall BlackBerry drop handset manufacturing, you'll probably still be able to buy and sport a device with BlackBerry logo printed on it.

An interesting idea. Just like with what Barnes and Noble is doing to compete in the tablet game. They use Samsung tablets and just put their own skin and services up front. Very small development cost and it's sustainable at low volumes

Blackberry Z10 was the beginning. The Z30 is my upgrade

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

An interesting idea. Just like with what Barnes and Noble is doing to compete in the tablet game. They use Samsung tablets and just put their own skin and services up front. Very small development cost and it's sustainable at low volumes

Blackberry Z10 was the beginning. The Z30 is my upgrade

I imagine it would work out about the same too.....

In August 2014 Barnes and Noble made the internal decision to outsource their new line of Nook tablets to Samsung. The end result was the Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 Nook 7 and 10.1 inch editions.

The funny thing about this move is that there is no Nook branding anywhere on the physical device. The only aspect about the tablets that remotely have anything to do with Barnes and Noble is a few customized apps to browse the online bookstore and view your purchases.

The move to do business with Samsung resulted in B&N losing its cultural identity as a hardware business and now they just make apps and sell e-books. Many in the business thought this was a very poor decision and in the months leading up to the new hardware, many top executives were fired.

How did Barnes and Noble lose their way and how did they lose almost a billion dollars in five years? The main reason was the hyper competitive tablet industry and B&N primarily focused on the US market, while their competition focused on international expansion. The second was scaling back their R&D center in Santa Clara and outsourcing all future hardware to other companies. For example, the new Nook Glowlight Plus e-reader is the first one that was entirely outsourced to Netronix, a Taiwanese company that designs all of Kobo’s e-readers. The 3rd reason is executive leadership, the bookseller has had 3 CEO’s in the last four years and there has been mixed messages on the future of the brand

Think in May their Nook sales had fallen another 40%, and they missed their 2 Million unit agreement with Samsung for those first Nooks... so maybe they sell about million of them now?

[cgk]

Who can say? Chen talks word soup a lot of the time so you cannot actual parse his statements and be clear what he is saying is what he actually means. Really the only thing you can be absolutely certain about is that when asked about future BB10 handsets he always avoids that one.

Having said that, the basic principle fits with his overall direction of getting out of hardware.

[Superfly_FR]

Having said that, the basic principle fits with his overall direction of getting out of hardware.

I won't bet on this.
But he has to achieve the goal of profitability - say break even at least.
If not, plan B (actually, C) has to occur.

[cgk]

I won't bet on this.
But he has to achieve the goal of profitability - say break even at least.
If not, plan B (actually, C) has to occur.

That will occur pretty quickly - if Priv sales are terrible, he might do a HP and just pull the plug (but on past history, he will not announce it like he's hasn't been straight about death of BB10 and palm off the inventory), if they are good we will see press releases pretty quickly (it was one of the ways you could always spot that all the BB10 devices were bombs, they always focused on weird metrics that nobody takes seriously). Either way, we will know from first full quarter of priv sales.

[Superfly_FR]

Before, if you ask me

Either way, we will know from first full quarter of priv sales.

[Prem WatsApp]

Knox + BES, he said
BlackPhone is another candidate, but keep in mind the extra $100 per year.
Not a customer darling, if you ask me.
But wait ... (part of) these $100 are for the use of their "private network".
(k)noc(k)-(k)noc(k) ?

Warning : I'm speculating full throttle.

Crank it up a notch...

:-D

�   Ahoy, Privateers...! :-)   �

[Superfly_FR]

"We need that extra push over the cliff" !