1. early2bed's Avatar
    According to the report, Apple has hired former BlackBerry employee Dan Dodge, who was the founder and CEO of QNX, the operating system that BlackBerry ultimately acquired and continues to be used as an underlying system in some vehicles today, including many that work with Apple’s current iPhone-connected, in-dash CarPlay platform.
    Report: Apple continues hiring for Apple Car w/ BlackBerry?s QNX founder joining team | 9to5Mac

    So what is the likelihood that Apple will look to acquire QNX from BlackBerry?
    07-28-16 12:56 PM
  2. Dunt Dunt Dunt's Avatar
    It was previously reported that Apple leased R&D office space in Kanata, Ontario, Blackberry QNX’s home town, although there is no confirmation if the new offices are related to the hiring of Dodge and or the Apple Car project.
    You know with IoT not really doing anything and BB10 now pretty much shelved... might not be to hard to get Chen to sell QNX.

    But too be honest I don't think Apple wants to get into the embed software business. Probably cheaper to work with QNX like most all car manufactures... pay them a $1 a car and be done with it. They'll need to work closely with QNX to make sure their software works very well on top of QNX, so offices in Kanata make sense.

    It does lend credence to the rumors the Dodge was not happy under BlackBerry......
    07-28-16 02:16 PM
  3. EchoTango's Avatar
    Does anyone else suspect he was under an employment contract for one year after the acquisition deal closed ? I think so. It's typical that the old management stays around under contract to help with the transition and then leaves. Probably happy to go with a big fat bank account, but your creation is no longer yours and others get to decide it's fate. Can't be a comfortable situation for anyone.

    However let's no forget it was David Dodge that made the "buck a car" deal which made the potential profitability for QNX very difficult for Blackberry.
    Dunt Dunt Dunt likes this.
    07-28-16 02:48 PM
  4. early2bed's Avatar
    But too be honest I don't think Apple wants to get into the embed software business.
    Who would have thought they would want to invest in a Chinese ride-sharing service, either? If they do this they would get out of the embedded software business. Whatever revenue it that doesn't make a difference to Apple. If they feel this is a core technology for them they will acquire it.
    Even the aqu-hire potential (experienced employees in this field) might make it worth it. Apple has office space in Kanata, Ontario so the strategy might also be to get Dan Dodge to build a team from his QNX contacts.
    Last edited by early2bed; 07-28-16 at 03:29 PM.
    07-28-16 02:55 PM
  5. blackberrybrad's Avatar
    You know with IoT not really doing anything and BB10 now pretty much shelved... might not be to hard to get Chen to sell QNX.

    But too be honest I don't think Apple wants to get into the embed software business. Probably cheaper to work with QNX like most all car manufactures... pay them a $1 a car and be done with it. They'll need to work closely with QNX to make sure their software works very well on top of QNX, so offices in Kanata make sense.

    It does lend credence to the rumors the Dodge was not happy under BlackBerry......
    I doubt Chen will be selling QNX, as I understand the division is profitable.

    Posted via CB10
    07-28-16 04:48 PM
  6. app_Developer's Avatar
    I also doubt BB would sell QNX. And I'm sure Apple thinks they can park their office across the street and pick off the talent they want without having to acquihire the whole of QNX. They got Dodge already that way.
    07-28-16 05:01 PM
  7. anon(5846467)'s Avatar
    I just heard this piece of news. Wow. This is sad.

    Bloomberg Article: Apple Hires BlackBerry Talent With Car Project Turning to Self-Driving Software - Bloomberg
    07-28-16 06:19 PM
  8. anon(5846467)'s Avatar
    Aside: I don't think it's that Apple wants to acquire QNX but rather more they recognize the security behind the software is top notch and want to develop something in-house for their upcoming iWhip. They have the capital to make something of their own and they just needed the right brains, which is where Dodge comes in.
    Troy Tiscareno likes this.
    07-28-16 06:24 PM
  9. early2bed's Avatar
    I think that Apple probably does want to acquire QNX either for the technology or the employees but John Chen either doesn't want to sell or is being a tough negotiator. Apple's response is to set up shop next door and begin the bleeding QNX of its best talent. Who would know how to do that better than the founder of the company? What other reason is there to hire the QNX founder other than to build an auto technology team?

    This might even be the reason why John Chen hasn't ruled out more BB10 handsets because once he does, then he really isn't using QNX for anything that contributes to BlackBerry's core business.
    dom7 and deadcowboy like this.
    07-28-16 06:40 PM
  10. syplex's Avatar
    This sucks, BlackBerry buying QNX and using it for the base of their tablet and then BB10 phone was one of the best decisions they made and what made me buy an Z10 (and then Z30) instead of an iPhone or Android. I still think QNX is an incredibly valuable asset that has been foolishly abandoned by Chen. Sure, he hasn't sold it but he doesn't seem to have the vision for the future that leverages the asset. BlackBerry is a devices and solutions company, not a software company. They should be making amazing devices for connectivity and productivity, and they have (or had) a great team and great assets that would give them an edge. Instead Chen is pushing things like Chinese rebrands, Android, and arguing against privacy. Maybe Dodge realized that.
    DonHB and deadcowboy like this.
    07-28-16 06:53 PM
  11. Ment's Avatar
    Apple's done this before and I'm sure they're not the only one. Apple hired away the best talent from a car battery start-up and they had to close up shop as they couldn't overcome their best engineers and scientists leaving. Apple got sued over it and settled out of court but they still got the talent.
    07-28-16 07:01 PM
  12. Slash82's Avatar
    "Calm down guys!
    QNX is just a prank!

    Android is the future!"

    by Chen

    Posted via CB10
    Orange UK likes this.
    07-29-16 02:15 AM
  13. Dunt Dunt Dunt's Avatar
    Apple's done this before and I'm sure they're not the only one. Apple hired away the best talent from a car battery start-up and they had to close up shop as they couldn't overcome their best engineers and scientists leaving. Apple got sued over it and settled out of court but they still got the talent.
    That's the thing, with some companies it's more about a small group of very talented people than about the software or coding. These few people with Apple's resources (money, people, patents, and code).... might be able to do something that BlackBerry and QNX could not dream of.


    But then as cheap as QNX is... would they need to?
    07-29-16 07:46 AM
  14. Jerry A's Avatar
    Does anyone else suspect he was under an employment contract for one year after the acquisition deal closed ? I think so. It's typical that the old management stays around under contract to help with the transition and then leaves. Probably happy to go with a big fat bank account, but your creation is no longer yours and others get to decide it's fate. Can't be a comfortable situation for anyone.

    However let's no forget it was David Dodge that made the "buck a car" deal which made the potential profitability for QNX very difficult for Blackberry.
    Yeah, except it's been 6+ years since BB acquired QNX.

    And the "buck a car" thing makes sense for that particular market. Embedded device license fees have never been a huge-margin business. Heck, the QNX division is one of the profitable parts of BlackBerry.
    07-29-16 08:18 AM
  15. early2bed's Avatar
    Just look at the press announcement from last year. They mention "retirement" twice in the paragraph even though he's not that old. Wishful thinking? He was an undergrad/grad student in 2001-2009 although he was at QNX since 1982.

    We are grateful for Dan Dodge's contributions to QNX and BlackBerry and his work building a start-up to an undisputed leader in embedded software. With Dan's retirement, John Wall, who has been instrumental to the success of QNX as Chief Operating Officer, will transition into the role of Senior Vice President and Head of QNX. We're appreciative of Dan's 35 years of dedication to QNX and wish him all the best in his retirement.
    If there was a non-compete then BlackBerry would probably have had to pay him for it. John Chen may not have been willing to do that.
    Last edited by early2bed; 07-29-16 at 08:52 AM.
    07-29-16 08:31 AM
  16. PantherBlitz's Avatar
    If there was a non-compete then BlackBerry would probably have had to pay him for it. John Chen may not have been willing to do that.
    Not only Chen but Thor, et al. They needed to make that part of one of his later contracts or else offer him a signing bonus to have it added to an extension of an existing contract. Either way, it makes BlackBerry appear cheap or short-sighted.
    07-29-16 09:13 AM
  17. early2bed's Avatar
    You have to wonder how long this may have been in the works. After 35 years, 8 months is not a long time to be in retirement before deciding to jump back in. If he has been talking with Apple about cars all along then his plan might have been to take a few months off, do some consulting on the project and then formally join the team in a year.
    07-29-16 11:01 AM
  18. early2bed's Avatar
    This article says that he started working for Apple in January right away in office space that was leased across the street from QNX, speculating that Apple is after it in a very big way. You move in across the street from company headquarters and hire its CEO in the same month. How much more aggressive can you be? The executives and other employees both companies will literally be having coffee and eating lunch in the same restaurants with people they used to work with.

    Dodge resigned from QNX in December, telling Crackberry at the time, “My decision to leave was my own. I threw my own party, invited everybody from QNX that I’ve known over the last 35 years and we had a grand time.”
    Dodge reportedly began working for Apple in January.
    ...
    In January, Apple leased some office space in the Kanata Research Park across the street from QNX headquarters, a development that many took to be a sign that Apple was expanding its push into automobile research and development.
    ...
    And now Apple has hired the person who invented QNX and knows its software better than anyone on the planet, more so probably than people still working at QNX.
    Apple scoops ex-QNX head Dan Dodge in blow to BlackBerry's software division - Cantech Letter
    deadcowboy likes this.
    07-29-16 11:55 AM
  19. ljfong's Avatar
    Retiring from BlackBerry to Apple. What could have been better lol. Dan masterfully played it.
    TgeekB, bakron1 and southlander like this.
    07-30-16 01:08 PM
  20. bakron1's Avatar
    It's called capitalism and folks are going to go where the money and long term job security is and that's just the way it is today. Employee loyalty has become a thing of the past.
    07-31-16 03:45 PM
  21. curves2000's Avatar
    We don't know the exact details of what has transpired but this retirement does appear to be short lived.

    Perhaps Mr. Dodge was pushed out of BlackBerry, perhaps there was a disagreement of strategy, products etc? Who knows?

    A very real scenario is that perhaps retirement wasn't what he thought it would be and maybe started looking to get back into the game.

    John Chen had to be talked into coming to BlackBerry. He had a few corporate boards he was sitting on and was advising on a few different things, sometimes the thrill and getting back into the game was what they wanted.

    All the best to everyone

    Posted via CB10
    07-31-16 10:08 PM
  22. Dunt Dunt Dunt's Avatar
    This article says that he started working for Apple in January right away in office space that was leased across the street from QNX, speculating that Apple is after it in a very big way. You move in across the street from company headquarters and hire its CEO in the same month. How much more aggressive can you be? The executives and other employees both companies will literally be having coffee and eating lunch in the same restaurants with people they used to work with.
    As with some of BlackBerries other corporate acquisitions... once the key people left, BlackBerry found they really didn't have much anymore.

    You can bet that Dan isn't the last QNX person to be joining Apple.
    deadcowboy likes this.
    08-01-16 08:24 AM
  23. early2bed's Avatar
    It's called capitalism and folks are going to go where the money and long term job security is and that's just the way it is today. Employee loyalty has become a thing of the past.
    Given the thousands of employees that have been laid off from BlackBerry over the past couple of years, it's probably fair to say that employer loyalty is also a thing of the past. Employees do what they have to do and so do employers.

    We don't know the exact details of what has transpired but this retirement does appear to be short lived.
    Perhaps Mr. Dodge was pushed out of BlackBerry, perhaps there was a disagreement of strategy, products etc? Who knows?
    You don't retire in December and start working at a competitor in January. It's interesting that BlackBerry PR announced it as retirement even though he clearly didn't retire. If BlackBerry didn't know that he was going over to Apple then why didn't he tell them? It smells of a bad parting of ways.

    After 35 years, I'm sure there are some intellectual property issues that can make moving to a competitor kind of dicey.
    Last edited by early2bed; 08-01-16 at 10:24 AM.
    08-01-16 08:43 AM
  24. Dunt Dunt Dunt's Avatar
    Given the thousands of employees that have been laid off from BlackBerry over the past couple of years, it's probably fair to say that employer loyalty is also a thing of the past, also. Employees do what they have to do and so do employers.



    You don't retire in December and start working at a competitor in January. It's interesting that BlackBerry PR announced it as retirement even though he clearly didn't retire. If BlackBerry didn't know that he was going over to Apple then why didn't he tell them? It smells of a bad parting of ways.

    After 35 years, I'm sure there are some intellectual property issues that can make moving to a competitor kind of dicey.
    You can bet that Chen will have some engineers and layers watching what they do very carefully.
    08-01-16 09:01 AM
  25. deadcowboy's Avatar
    It's called capitalism and folks are going to go where the money and long term job security is and that's just the way it is today. Employee loyalty has become a thing of the past.
    It's sad, but it's not as if Chen's BlackBerry doesn't deserve it. Let bright minds do great work somewhere while they're still able! right? Chen's not interested in being creative any longer. The corporate culture must be poisonous these days.
    08-05-16 10:26 PM
39 12

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