On the heels of an announcement of an exit from the in-house hardware market, it unveiled a new device.
CEO John Chen recently announced that his company would no longer be manufacturing hardware, following up with an announcement that BlackBerry branded smartphones are on the way. The company has revealed to upcoming launch of a new physical keyboard phone release. This new mobile device will hit the shelves within the next six months.
This announcement was made by a top sales executive at BlackBerry within an interview with the BBC.
Alex Thurber, the senior vice president of global device sales, explained that he was aware that the company’s withdrawal from in-house hardware production would make headlines. He added that they were counting on the headlines to draw attention to the company. Then, he explained that BlackBerry branded smartphones would continue to be produced. They will be manufactured by third party suppliers.
The next smartphone to wear the company’s logo will feature its distinctive physical keyboard. In a market where many devices look exceptionally similar, BlackBerry continually tries to stand out.
The next BlackBerry branded smartphones will have the physical keyboard many users love.
The company will rely on its partners to produce the new keyboarded smartphone. It had previously been leaked that BlackBerry was designing a couple of additional devices. When John Chen announced the end of the company’s hardware manufacturing, it looked like those smartphones were scrapped.
According to Thurber, Chen didn’t discuss those models during the previous announcement as final decisions had not yet been made. He didn’t know if they would be brought to market. Now it appears that the decisions have been made. “There will still be a keyboard-based BlackBerry device, designed and distributed within the next six months,” said Thurber.
He pointed out that the keyboards in the BlackBerry branded smartphones will set them apart from Samsung and Apple. Those industry leaders offer exclusively touch screen keyboards. “think there’s a demand for keyboard phones. As we’ve been showing mockups of what we’ve been working on, to our carrier and distributor partners, they are very excited about this,” explained Thurber.
The struggling Canadian company is preparing to release yet another handset in the hopes of recovery.
BlackBerry has announced that it will soon be releasing the most secure Android phone the world has ever seen. The company has made it clear that it will not give up its hardware business unless it is given no other choice. Now, it’s hoping that topping security levels over any other Android device will bring its smartphones back into relevance.
The company has unveiled the DTEK50, which is a smartphone the company hopes will appeal to “everyone.”
BlackBerry feels the appeal of a highly secure Android phone is increasing. Consumers are coming to realize that there are many threats to their security over mobile, but they can’t give up their smartphones. Therefore, the company wants to stand out from among the rest by offering those shoppers a device that will keep their personal, private and financial information safe.
Mobile security is a considerable concern among many consumers. That said, a large number haven’t taken even the most basic steps needed to protect their devices. The hope from BlackBerry is that if the device has the added security built in, it will have a significant draw.
The company feels that consumers and businesses want the most secure Android phone available.
Senior vice president of global device sales, Alex Thurber, said “We feel that customers today, certainly businesses and consumers, are beginning to understand just how important security is when it comes to their smartphone.” Thurber spoke during a BlackBerry webcast from the company’s Waterloo, Ontario headquarters.
He explained that it’s important for everyone to be aware of privacy and security issues, risks and threats on their devices, no matter who they are. “I certainly want my children to have secure devices. I don’t want the world looking at what they take pictures of or their emails or their text messages,” he said.
The new BlackBerry DTEK50 has been designed to be the most secure Android phone. It contains built-in features such as encryption and malware protection to keep all user info safe. It also provides enhanced capabilities for viewing and controlling the access apps have to the mobile device features such as the camera.
The next smartphone to wear the company’s logo will feature its distinctive physical keyboard. In a market where many devices look exceptionally similar, BlackBerry continually tries to stand out.