Blackberry might not be in the device business anymore, but they might be vying for a way back to establish their position in the tech scene through software.
According to Reuters, Blackberry reportedly said they have no major gaps in its software portfolio, thanks to the integration of a string of recent acquisitions. Although, more work needs to be done to get solutions integrated into healthcare and automotive industries and other sectors in hope for a significant growth.
The company started from selling its own phones with the servers and software that manage them for businesses and governments; to securing an array of rival devices and the information that flows to and from them.
“The bottom line is: BlackBerry is a completely different beast than it was a decade ago,” Nicholas McQuire, a workplace IT analyst at CCS Insight, a consulting firm, told Reuters. “However, it still needs to educate enterprises, particularly prospects in markets outside its core regulated footprint on the ‘new BlackBerry’,” he said.
The former mobile giant is targeting the growing yet fragmented market of connected devices – more specifically the sensors. Blackberry has invested in areas including cyber security consulting and autonomous vehicles.
The acquisition of Good Technology and WatchDox in 2015 has helped Blackberry hold a solid footing in enterprise mobility; while QNX industrial operating system leads its self-driving vehicle ambitions. However, competition is tough in these areas.
Currently, Canada based Blackberry no longer manufacture smartphones, instead transferred the mobile manufacturing operations to China based TCL Communication, carrying on with the BlackBerry name. The first and latest of the Blackberry device released under TCL was announced in MWC this year, BlackBerry KeyOne.