1. deke09's Avatar
    Now that iOS 8 allows custom keyboards, should BlackBerry bring their virtual flick-action to Apple? I'm sure the extra revenue wouldn't hurt, plus it's not like BlackBerry is nearing a new touchscreen release anytime soon, so why not get their virtual keyboard into as many hands as possible? I bet anyone on an iPhone would consider it, especially those familiar with BlackBerry. Plus, there are aren't many custom keyboards available yet, so it wouldn't be hard to find. I'm going to disagree with anyone who says it's bad business and it's going to drive actual BlackBerry users to the iPhone. The people that still carry BlackBerries are loyal to the core.

    Posted via CB10
    10-20-14 11:38 PM
  2. raino's Avatar
    Technically, BlackBerry doesn't even make its own virtual keyboard. So the answer would be 'no.'
    10-20-14 11:47 PM
  3. Nghia Dinh's Avatar
    I think it does, tons of people is going to love it and love the iphone more and more, it is not what blackberry wants though. Personally, the only reason i still consider buying the bb is the keyboard, sorry about that, but bb really need to not share it's secret of the keyboard

    Posted via CB10
    redsaph likes this.
    10-20-14 11:47 PM
  4. deke09's Avatar
    I think it does, tons of people is going to love it and love the iphone more and more, it is not what blackberry wants though. Personally, the only reason i still consider buying the bb is the keyboard, sorry about that, but bb really need to not share it's secret of the keyboard

    Posted via CB10
    I'm not suggesting they share it, I'm suggesting they sell it. Let's say 20 million iPhone users downloaded it for $20? Yeah, how's an extra $400,000,000 in the bank going to hurt? Granted, I just made those numbers up, but there's huge money to be made here. They're certainly not making it selling Z10s and 30s...

    Posted via CB10
    10-20-14 11:55 PM
  5. Raestloz's Avatar
    Selling the keyboard in App Store would create the ultimate smartphone save for the fact that it's far too closed an environment.

    It certainly would shut those guys over at Typo up, but I don't see how it'd help BlackBerry. This is not like BBM which needs users

    Z10 STL100-1/10.2.1.3247
    redsaph likes this.
    10-20-14 11:59 PM
  6. Nghia Dinh's Avatar
    I'm not suggesting they share it, I'm suggesting they sell it. Let's say 20 million iPhone users downloaded it for $20? Yeah, how's an extra $400,000,000 in the bank going to hurt? Granted, I just made those numbers up, but there's huge money to be made here. They're certainly not making it selling Z10s and 30s...

    Posted via CB10
    Yeah, they should sell it like you said for some quick money but for long-term, think again, no matter how much you 'may' make, you lose the core, you loose everything. One example of that is the Passport, after seeing the review for passport and some complaints about the keyboard, I immediately lost most of my interest in the phone, I believe that I am not the only one.

    Posted via CB10
    10-21-14 12:05 AM
  7. deke09's Avatar
    Yeah, they should sell it like you said for some quick money but for long-term, think again, no matter how much you 'may' make, you lose the core, you loose everything. One example of that is the Passport, after seeing the review for passport and some complaints about the keyboard, I immediately lost most of my interest in the phone, I believe that I am not the only one.

    Posted via CB10
    I'm that much more afraid for the company if the possibility exists for them to lose their core if a BlackBerry virtual keyboard becomes available for hundreds of millions of iPhone users worldwide. They have an opportunity to generate revenue from the technology they've developed without even having to sell their own devices. How much profit have they generated from selling their own devices? I just don't buy your theory. Many people thought BBM should have gone cross-platform much sooner than it did. How much more successful would it have been if they did it before Whatsapp? I'd hate to see them miss out again.

    Posted via CB10
    web99 likes this.
    10-21-14 12:20 AM
  8. imcurved's Avatar
    Get a BlackBerry and their problem solved.

    Using Passport and Z10
    1raygin likes this.
    10-21-14 12:45 AM
  9. deke09's Avatar
    Get a BlackBerry and their problem solved.

    Using Passport and Z10
    It must be a huge problem for all those millions of iPhone users who have no idea what it's like to type on a BlackBerry...

    Good luck with that campaign.

    Posted via CB10
    10-21-14 12:55 AM
  10. deke09's Avatar
    Does anyone even know if BlackBerry plans to release another flagship touchscreen device in the near future? The Passport and Classic are all we're getting right now, and neither device uses a virtual keyboard. But, yeah, okay. Let's turn off the BlackBerry users who love this keyboard, and continue to not generate revenue from technology just sitting there, and that could turn on a large audience of people who know nothing about the advancements BlackBerry has painstakingly developed? BlackBerry just isn't focused on touchscreen right now, anyway. It's all keyboards and enterprise. Back to their roots.

    Posted via CB10
    10-21-14 01:07 AM
  11. Ment's Avatar
    This thread comes up every month or so but the answer is the same: I'm sure BB's agreement with Swiftkey precludes them from offering their version as a extra keyboard to either Android or now IOS. Would be stupid to license your tech and have that company compete with you.
    10-21-14 01:18 AM
  12. WGn199's Avatar
    I'm not suggesting they share it, I'm suggesting they sell it. Let's say 20 million iPhone users downloaded it for $20? Yeah, how's an extra $400,000,000 in the bank going to hurt? Granted, I just made those numbers up, but there's huge money to be made here. They're certainly not making it selling Z10s and 30s...

    Posted via CB10
    Makes perfect sense, people love spending $20 on an apps in general and especially for something they already have!

    We should get BlackBerry to sell 20M iPhone users the flash-enabled browsers and the Hub, it wouldn't even have to be sold to the same people. That's an extra $1.2B in the bank. Or, they could buy a BlackBerry phone.

    I can't see many people willing to pay that kind of money for something they probably feel they already have an answer for and they are already accustomed to.
    10-21-14 01:32 AM
  13. Dave Bourque's Avatar
    Absolutely. No.

    Posted via CB10
    1raygin likes this.
    10-21-14 01:37 AM
  14. Dave Bourque's Avatar
    Does anyone even know if BlackBerry plans to release another flagship touchscreen device in the near future? The Passport and Classic are all we're getting right now, and neither device uses a virtual keyboard. But, yeah, okay. Let's turn off the BlackBerry users who love this keyboard, and continue to not generate revenue from technology just sitting there, and that could turn on a large audience of people who know nothing about the advancements BlackBerry has painstakingly developed? BlackBerry just isn't focused on touchscreen right now, anyway. It's all keyboards and enterprise. Back to their roots.

    Posted via CB10
    That's just not true. Z3 recently released and upcoming Z20. High end full touch is still a possibility and rumors still pop-up that they are working on a successor to the Z line. Successor to Z30 most likely.

    Posted via CB10
    10-21-14 01:39 AM
  15. SparkyBC's Avatar
    They can't sell what they don't own. It's only licensed..
    raino likes this.
    10-21-14 01:48 AM
  16. anon(1464249)'s Avatar
    Can someone post a link or some proof about the keyboard being licensed? I'd love to know who they're licensing this from...

    If they do own the keyboard, putting it in the Apple Store and Android App Store is a logical evolution. It will bring a piece of BlackBerry technology on other platforms and will constitute a steady revenue stream.

    Let's face it, people don't buy BlackBerry because of the virtual keyboard...saying BlackBerry will lose users after doing this is ridiculous. Just like with BBM going cross-platform.

    If your product is solid, it will sell. If it's not it won't.

    Let's be conservative and consider a billion iOS and Android users. About 20% download the keyboard putting the number at 200 million at let's say $2.99 and due to a special launch sale about 20 million get it at $1.99.

    That's half a billion right there give or take and there's way more potential... bigger userbase, other native apps that can go cross-platform (BlackBerry Travel...)

    Get that extra revenue, leverage the potential and prepare the next big thing. Keep moving forward.

    Posted via CB10
    10-21-14 03:50 AM
  17. Soulstream's Avatar
    The BB keyboard licensed software from SwiftKey which already had keyboards for Android and now for iOS. I am pretty much sure (although there is no official source for this) that the license deal prevents BB from releasing a keyboard for Android or iOS.
    10-21-14 03:53 AM
  18. Coraya's Avatar
    Steve Jobs has gone on record saying he didn't want any buttons on the iphone. I doubt they would add another 50. BUT he is gone now, so you never know what they could have up their sleeves.

    Posted via Q10RR
    10-21-14 06:08 AM
  19. Ment's Avatar
    Can someone post a link or some proof about the keyboard being licensed? I'd love to know who they're licensing this from...


    Posted via CB10
    Uncovered: BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 Uses SwiftKey Keyboard! | CrackBerry.com

    Now of course BB built up on and improved it but the foundation prediction engine is from Swiftkey.
    10-21-14 07:59 AM
  20. Mike88888's Avatar
    BlackBerry's virtual keyboard should stay on BlackBerry only. It's one of it's selling points.

    Posted via CB10
    10-21-14 08:00 AM
  21. Tre Lawrence's Avatar
    $20 per copy? Woah.
    10-21-14 08:24 AM
  22. deke09's Avatar
    Like I said, just making numbers up. But, I would pay $20 to use BlackBerry's keyboard on an iPhone.

    Also, I wasn't aware that BlackBerry didn't have the rights to the keyboard. Too bad if it's true. Instant money maker no matter how much you charge for it...

    Posted via CB10
    10-21-14 10:21 AM
  23. Tre Lawrence's Avatar
    Like I said, just making numbers up. But, I would pay $20 to use BlackBerry's keyboard on an iPhone.

    Also, I wasn't aware that BlackBerry didn't have the rights to the keyboard. Too bad if it's true. Instant money maker no matter how much you charge for it...

    Posted via CB10
    Got ya.

    Even if BBRY did have the rights, I am not sure the BB10 keyboard would resonate with other platform users without cloud, swiping and/or voice dictation functionality. BBRY would be going against some major players that do virtual keyboards for a living.
    10-21-14 10:44 AM
  24. shaleem's Avatar
    I really don't see the point in BlackBerry doing so.
    1raygin likes this.
    10-21-14 11:20 AM
  25. Gilda675's Avatar
    No. Apple is the enemy. Never help your enemies.

    Posted from my Blackberry Z3
    1raygin likes this.
    10-21-14 11:24 AM
43 12

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