Blackberry has stated that it has no plans to develop handsets for its own operating system, BB10. However, it will continue to issue updates for existing devices.
The company Operating System has not been able to compete against Android and iOS hence it seems it has decided to opt for the Android platform, by releasing two new android phones in the nearest future. The company also admitted that its made a tactical error in pricing its first Android phone, the Blackberry Priv too high.
“The fact that we came out with a high end phone [as our first Android device] was probably not as wise as it should have been,” Chen told Abu Dhabi paper The National.
“A lot of enterprise customers have said to us, ‘I want to buy your phone but $700 is a little too steep for me. I’m more interested in a $400 device’,” he added.
Its sales fell by almost $200m in the three months to the end of February. Mr Chen had previously blamed the company’s poor sales figures on delays in negotiations with mobile networks about its Priv handset.
To remain relevant in the industry, John Chen says the company will launch two mid-range Android handsets this year. He says one will have a physical keyboard, the other a full touch-screen.
Though people have already started farewell to the company, Chen still believes his firm has a chance for differentiation based on BlackBerry’s long history of strong security and integration in corporate environments.
Hope the introduction of these two mid-range phones will prompt a turnaround in the fortunes of the company.
