Tag: blackberry android

This device would bring the Google operating system together with the secure and powerful BB services.

BlackBerry’s ongoing struggles have not shown any sign of coming to an end over the last while, despite a number of strategic improvements that the company has made, and it has recently been rumored that the next step along the way will be an Android smartphone.

Now, further rumors are indicating that BlackBerry will be partnering up with Samsung for this new mobile device.

After stumbling a number of times in its predictions as to what would turn the company around, it now looks like it is going to make a move toward an Android smartphone that could potentially differentiate itself in a whole new way. There is a great deal of potential in this type of idea. If it partners with Samsung, it has the chance to make a sleek, attractive, cutting edge device and if it uses Android, it could combine the platform with its own security and software strengths.

The result could potentially be an Android smartphone with a physical keyboard, high security, and awesome software.

Of course, none of these mobile technology rumors have actually been confirmed, but the reports have been made by certain sources that have been highly accurate about their predictions, in the past. According to Eldar Murtazin, the Russian tech blogger, the BlackBerry Venice or BlackBerry Slider, which had been unannounced but that were spotted at the MWC featuring a dual-edge display, could potentially be released based on the Android operating system.

A tweet from the blogger indicated that if BlackBerry and Samsung are working together, the outcome could be an Android Lollipop mobile phone with BB services. The idea is that the trusted enterprise services that are the foundation strength of BlackBerry could potentially be carried over to a mobile device that is launched based on Android.

The reports of the two companies working together on an Android smartphone were released only a day after others that had indicated that BlackBerry was considering making a mobile device based on that operating system, in the first place.

The company has now made its first moves that would indicate that it could embrace Google’s mobile OS.

As the Canadian handset maker works to be able to raise the revenue that it is generating from its software and device management sector, it now appears as though the next BlackBerry operating system that will be found on upcoming smartphones could be Android.

Many analysts are applauding the decision and have said that Android could breathe new life into the company.

The use of Android as a BlackBerry operating system could be enough o make the device arm of the company more appealing to consumers, say many analysts. According to Enderle Group technology consulting firm’s Rob Enderle, “From the standpoint of marketing, this is a great way for BlackBerry to get visibility. It really doesn’t hurt them much, and the upside is high.” That said, Enderle joins many other tech and financial analysts that have said that this decision is not without potential obstacles that would need to be overcome.

Primary among those challenges is that there would be more than one BlackBerry operating system.

If that is the case then BlackBerry would need to start managing devices running on its own mobile platform as well as those operating on Android. This would mean that some of the company’s resources could end up having to be used for the marketing of Android based devices, separately from the marketing that it is already conducting for the devices running on its own platform. That said, the majority agree that this downside is quite limited when compared to the potential benefit that it has to offer.

Enderle explained that the primary potential weakness that is caused by the use of Android on BlackBerry devices is in the form of security. That said, “that’s just the thing that BlackBerry can fix, so it could play out pretty well and I am actually quite surprised that they did not try this sooner.” He also pointed out that the company will need to deliver quite an impressive device in order to make this new BlackBerry operating system strategy actually work.