Tuesday, July 7, 2015

Can BlackBerry get back in the game with using the Android OS?

Late last year I wrote in a post reminiscing about those good old BlackBerry Days: days when Canada's very own tech darling, Research-in-Motion (as it was called back then), was the hot technology that executives and business savvy individuals had in their pockets.

In the post, I discussed the possible factors that led to the decline, wondering how the RIM exec's did not just go out and try one of the Android or iPhone devices to see why these brands were overtaking theirs. 

Well, not sure if they read my post - in fact I highly doubt it :) - BlackBerry appears to be toying with the idea of using the Android OS instead of its BB10. As noted in the following edition of Android Authority, rumours are a swirling about the Android OS being loaded onto BlackBerry phones (starts around 1:10). 

If this ends up being true, then this could be (for real this time!) that could get BlackBerry into the game. However, this hinges on BB being able to leverage their corporate customers to get this device to integrate with the corporate IT (especially email and calendar). For example, my employer support iPhones and BB but not Android.

So I have been contemplating on whether I should get a iPhone on my next upgrade.

However, if BlackBerry were to switch to Android then I would definitely consider that as an option. For me the issue is when I am travelling on business, I need to use my phone. However, the native BB apps are simply not the greatest and I miss using the Google Maps and other services.

There's definitely a good strategic analysis of how BB can benefit from the Android App store or offer users cutting edge services. However, it probably just simply boils down to a strategy of if you can't beat them you might as well join them!


1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Interestingly enough, this was one of the paths that Nokia considered and rejected on the basis of the immense "support" they were receiving from Microsoft. Nokia's phones were widely lauded for their hardware, but the Microsoft ecosystem just couldn't take off. Only time will tell if BB's keyboard implementation will sway some old BB users back onto their phones, but as someone whose favourite phone designs included the Palm Pre, here's to hoping.

The other great feature of this phone, based on leaked specs, is the use of up-to-date processors. When the Classic came out, it came up with the S4, a processor from 2011. This supposedly comes out with the 808, latest chip from Qualcomm that means someone's phone won't be 4 years old brand new.