BlackBerry may make a mid-range Android device if Priv is a success

BlackBerry may make a mid-range Android phone if the Priv is a success. In an interview with Bloomberg, John Chen, BlackBerry CEO, said that the Priv’s sales results in the next few months will be key in determining the next step that the company takes. He also mentioned that the company is looking at the Priv’s results in terms of margin, and not necessarily in terms of volume.

If the Priv is well received, then the company may decide to launch a new phone sometime in the later half of 2016. Considering BlackBerry’s recent financial reports, the Priv may just revive BlackBerry. The company has reported shrinking losses in overall operations and a 13% rise in its stock prices. Its losses have shrunk to 3 cents per share, which is against analysts’ prediction of 14 cents per share.

The BlackBerry Priv is currently available in four countries, and in his interview, Chen said that the device will be launched in 31 additional countries in the next three months. In October, four units of the BlackBerry Priv were imported to India for “testing and evaluation” purposes. Zauba’s import listings stated the price of the device to be Rs. 50,635.

When Chen was questioned about taking the company’s partnership with Samsung ahead, he said that the two companies will continue to work together, but does not have any confirmed long running deals. Although, he did say that BlackBerry will work with Samsung’s Knox products for mobile. Samsung currently makes the AMOLED display used in the BlackBerry Priv.

Chen also talked about BlackBerry’s advanced driver-assist technologies and solutions, and that the company is looking forward to working with other companies like Google, Apple or Tesla. “Our software platform actually works with the Apple car strategy as well as Google. I would love to be able to work with Tesla.”

Source: Bloomberg

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Shrey Pacheco

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