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Tag: Blackberry

  • BlackBerry Beats Analysts’ Expectations, Buoyed by Its Cybersecurity Business

    BlackBerry Beats Analysts’ Expectations, Buoyed by Its Cybersecurity Business

    BlackBerry reported its first-quarter results, beating analysts’ expectations, thanks to its cybersecurity business.

    Once synonymous with PDAs and smartphones, BlackBerry has reinvented itself as a software company with a focus on cybersecurity. As hybrid work has become the new norm, the company’s fortunes have reflected the changing workplace.

    In its first-quarter results, BlackBerry’s total revenue of $168 million. While this was down 3.4%, as Reuters points out, it was still well north of the $160.7 million analysts were projecting.

    The company’s cybersecurity revenue accounted for $113 million, while IoT revenue came in at $51 million. Licensing and other revenue rounded out the company’s quarter at $4 million.

    “BlackBerry entered fiscal year 2023 with solid momentum, and this quarter we continued to execute well. At our recent Analyst Day, we outlined our 3 and 5 year financial goals for the business. Our performance demonstrates that our operational plans to achieve those goals are starting to deliver results,” said John Chen, Executive Chairman & CEO, BlackBerry. “The IoT business maintained its momentum of new design wins in rapidly growing core Auto domains, including Advanced Driver Assistance Systems and Digital Cockpits, and delivered a third consecutive record quarter for pre-production revenues. The Cybersecurity business demonstrated solid traction in the market by recording double-digit year-over-year billings growth. Given its exciting market opportunities, and synergies as the two markets continue to converge, the Company is well positioned to invest and drive growth.”

    BlackBerry recently sold $600 million of its patents related to its legacy mobile device business. It seems the company’s decision to go all-in on software and cybersecurity is paying off…even if it leaves many diehard BlackBerry fans disappointed.

  • The 5G Blackberry Dream Is Over As OnwardMobility Loses Blackberry Rights

    The 5G Blackberry Dream Is Over As OnwardMobility Loses Blackberry Rights

    Just a month after OnwardMobility reassured prospective customers it was still working on a revived Blackberry, new reports indicate the project is vaporware.

    OnwardMobility acquired the rights to make Blackberry phones in August 2020, after TCL lost the license. Since then, the company has teased a 5G-equipped Blackberry phone, complete with a physical keyboard, the likes of which made the brand famous.

    Unfortunately, months passed with no visible progress being made, prompting the company to reassure prospective buyers that it was still making progress.

    To all of you who have patiently waited so long for updates from OnwardMobility, we are humbly aware that we owe you some form of communication as we enter 2022. And to misquote Mark Twain, as so many do, “Contrary to popular belief, we are not dead.”

    It would appear, however, the above statement is not true. According to CrackBerry, multiple sources have confirmed the project is dead. Android Police was also able to confirm the rumors.

    Interestingly, at the end of January, Blackberry sold off roughly $600 million in patents related to its legacy phone business. It’s unclear what role this may have played in the demise of the OnwardMobility project, but it seems likely the two events are related. It’s possible Blackberry pulled OnwardMobility’s license so they could offload the patents, or they may have decided to sell the patents once it became apparent OnwardMobility couldn’t deliver.

    This wouldn’t the first time the company has ended a contract with a third-party maker of Blackberry-branded phones. Perhaps the company just decided the whole endeavor was more trouble than it was worth, and took multiple steps to permanently end its involvement in the phone industry.

  • Blackberry Selling $600 Million Worth of Patents

    Blackberry Selling $600 Million Worth of Patents

    Blackberry is selling off its legacy patents, primarily covering mobile devices, messaging, and wireless connectivity, to the tune of $600 million.

    Blackberry was once one of the most popular smartphone manufacturers, selling devices with their distinctive physical keyboard. The devices were popular with professionals and consumers alike, since the keyboard made it extremely easy to text, email, browse the web, and more. Like many brands, however, the iPhone spelled doom for Blackberry’s handset business and the company has since pivoted to software.

    The company is now selling its legacy patents, patents that seem to largely cover its old handset business. The patents are being sold to Catapult IP Innovations Inc., a special purpose vehicle formed specifically to purchase Blackberry’s IP.

    Blackberry will receive $450 million in cash, supplied by funding Catapult IP secured, as well as a promissory note of $150 million for the balance. Blackberry will also retain a license to the patents it is selling.

    It remains to be seen what Catapult IP plans to do with the patents.

  • Yes, the Blackberry 5G Phone Is Still Coming

    Yes, the Blackberry 5G Phone Is Still Coming

    Despite delays, a 5G Blackberry phone is still in development, complete with the iconic physical keyboard.

    Blackberry devices were once some of the most popular PDAs and smartphones on the market, before getting trounced by Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android. Despite its fall from grace, the Blackberry maintains a loyal customer base, with many preferring the physical keyboard to software-based, onscreen options.

    Blackberry no longer manufactures its own devices, but has licensed the rights to do so to outside companies. TCL lost its license to make Blackberry devices in February 2020, but OnwardMobility gained the contract in August 2020, and promised to deliver a new, 5G model in 2021.

    Despite 2021 having passed with no new Blackberry, OnwardMobility wants its customers to know they are coming.

    To all of you who have patiently waited so long for updates from OnwardMobility, we are humbly aware that we owe you some form of communication as we enter 2022. And to misquote Mark Twain, as so many do, “Contrary to popular belief, we are not dead.”

    The company also promises to provide more updates to future customers moving forward.

    While we encountered various delays that prevented us from shipping in 2021, we will be providing more regular updates starting this month that will clarify and answer many of your questions about the ultra-secure 5G enterprise smartphone (still with a keyboard!) we’re bringing to market.

  • SEC Closes Investigation Into GameStop Stock Fiasco

    The SEC has investigated so called “meme stocks,” such as GameStop’s epic run, ultimately deciding there was no wrongdoing.

    GameStop made headlines early this year when its stock skyrocketed. The frenzy was driven by investors on Reddit pumping the stock. AMC, Blackberry and Bed Bath & Beyond also saw their stocks driven up, thanks to individual stock traders. The phenomenon cost Wall Street who had shorted the stocks billions of dollars.

    The SEC investigation, however, has proven the buying frenzy was driven by individual investors, meaning there was nothing illegal about the trend…no matter how strange it may have been.

    “January’s events gave us an opportunity to consider how we can further our efforts to make the equity markets as fair, orderly, and efficient as possible,” said SEC Chair Gary Gensler. “Making markets work for everyday investors gets to the heart of the SEC’s mission. I would like to thank the staff for bringing their expertise to this important report, and for their ongoing work on to address the issues that January’s events raised.”

  • Reddit’s WallStreetBets Schools Wall Street

    Reddit’s WallStreetBets Schools Wall Street

    Wall Street may be the “experts” in the stock market, but analysts are increasingly looking to Reddit’s WallStreetBets for info.

    Reddit’s WallStreetBets upended the stock market when individual traders rallied around stocks that mainstream Wall Street institutions were shorting. GameStop, Blackberry, AMC and Bed and Bath and Beyond saw massive gains after they were shorted, ultimately costingWall Street tens of billions.

    It appears Wall Street has taken notice, and is now looking to WallStreetBets, and other social media platforms, for tips and info, according to The Wall Street Journal. Firms like Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley have employees on Reddit, Discord and Twitter, looking for the next big trading phenomenon.

    “It’s more art than science because it’s uncharted territory,” Simeon Siegel, a BMO Capital Markets analyst, told WSJ.

    It’s an amazing turn of events and proves just how much platforms like Robinhood, along with social media, have democratized investing.

  • Blackberry 5G Phone With Physical Keyboard Coming in 2021

    Blackberry 5G Phone With Physical Keyboard Coming in 2021

    It’s the brand that won’t die, as OnwardMobility has announced it is bringing a 5G Blackberry with traditional keyboard to market in 2021.

    Once the king of the smartphone arena, Blackberry was the device of choice for professionals and consumers alike. The company was known for enterprise-grade mobile software, combined with the best QUERTY keyboard in the business.

    Unfortunately for the company, the introduction of the iPhone caught it off-guard and it lost its dominance. Since then, the core company has switched its focus to software, with a strong emphasis on security. Meanwhile, Blackberry has licensed the right to create Blackberry hardware to outside companies, OnwardMobility being the current one.

    According to an interview with Naoki Watanabe, a writer with Nikkei, CEO and Founder Peter Franklin said OnwardMobility is planning to bring 5G-enabled Blackberry phones, complete with the quintessential QUERTY keyboard, to the US and Europe in 2021. While there is not a definite timeline, OnwardMobility hopes to release in Asia as soon as possible.

    “It is a global flagship device, and Asia is very important to us,” Franklin said . “We are in the process of speaking to customers and mobile carriers on a global scale to develop our distribution plan.”

    Franklin and company are hoping to capitalize on the current remote work trends as a result of the pandemic. Because more people are working from home, there is a renewed focus on mobile devices that can help them be more productive, with Franklin touting the new Blackberry as just such a device.

    “Our smartphones equipped with a physical keyboard can help boost productivity”, Franklin added.

    It remains to be seen if OnwardMobility will be able to make a dent in the market, but there’s sure to be at least some demand for a powerful, modern Blackberry, not to mention that legendary keyboard.

  • Short-Seller Losses Top $70 Billion In the War on Wall Street

    Short-Seller Losses Top $70 Billion In the War on Wall Street

    Short-sellers have lost a staggering $70 billion in the War on Wall Street between institutional investors and day traders on Reddit.

    Day traders on Reddit began driving up the price of stocks traditional Wall Street investors had recommended shorting, most notably GameStop, which saw its price go up some 1,000%. AMC, Bed Bath and Beyond, Blackberry and others also saw stock jumps as a result of the day traders.

    None of the companies in question saw their stock rise as a result of any fundamental change or improvement in their business. Instead, the phenomenon seemed to be a continuation of the Wall Street protests following the ‘08 crash, with everyman investors teaming up to stick it to Wall Street. Even Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, Sr. highlighted how the whole situation was showcasing the power of community.

    That community effort is taking a tangible toll on Wall Street, with Reuters reporting that investors have lost some $70.87 billion as a result of their short positions on US companies. GameStop makes up a sizable portion of those loses, coming in at $1.03 billion, Bed Bath & Beyond, meanwhile, accounts for $600 million.

    It remains to be seen where this saga will end but, now that everyman traders have had a taste of the power they can wield, it’s hard to imagine stock trading will ever be the same.

  • Robinhood Blocks GameStop Trading, Faces Backlash

    Robinhood Blocks GameStop Trading, Faces Backlash

    Robinhood has weighed in on the war on Wall Street, blocking buys of GameStop, AMC, Blackberry and others, and facing backlash for it.

    Day traders have been waging war against Wall Street, targeting stocks institutional investors have recommended shorting. The traders have been using Reddit to encourage others to buy those stocks, pumping them to record heights. GameStop surged as high as $247 from the $18 it was sitting at a couple of weeks ago.

    The end result has been staggering losses by Wall Street investors who had shorted those stocks, in many cases being forced to buy them back at much higher prices. The situation has even caught the attention of the White House and Treasury Department.

    Meanwhile, Wall Street investors have denounced the phenomenon, saying it’s not based on facts or the merits of the companies’ performance. Instead, the situation seems to be the latest example of community activism, fueled by frustration over how established institutions have done business.

    Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, Sr. made that point on Twitter:

    Stock trading app Robinhood has taken action, blocking trades of $AAL, $AMC, $BB, $BBY, $CTRM, $EXPR, $GME, $KOSS, $NAKD, $NOK, $SNDL, $TR, and $TRVG. Needless to say, users are outraged, with some filing SEC complaints and others jumping ship for competing platforms, such as CashApp.

    Robinhood may find itself reaping the same collective whirlwind Wall Street has been on the receiving end of, hurting its own business.

  • Day Traders Continue to Pump Stocks, WH and Treasury Monitoring

    Day Traders Continue to Pump Stocks, WH and Treasury Monitoring

    Day traders continued to take on Wall Street investors, pumping stocks traditional investors have been shorting.

    GameStop made headlines when its stock surged after Citron Research’s Andrew Left urged investors to short it. Traders took to Reddit to urge others to buy, causing the stock to hit as high as $247 in after hours trading Tuesday, a far cry from the $18 it was at a couple of weeks ago.

    GameStop isn’t the only company to see its stock take off. AMC has risen some 310%, Blackberry 24% and Bed Bath & Beyond 46%, according to Business Insider. It appears that day traders are engaging in a new level of activism, targeting stocks that institutional investors are shorting. The end result is volatile trading that has caused traditional investors to suffer heavy losses.

    The situation is not going unnoticed, with WH Press Secretary Jen Psaki saying the White House and Treasury Department were monitoring the situation.

  • Blackberry Rises on News of Facebook Settlement

    Blackberry Rises on News of Facebook Settlement

    Blackberry shares have had their best run since 2001, driven in part by news of a settlement with Facebook over messaging patents.

    Blackberry filed a lawsuit in 2018, claiming that Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram infringed on some of its patents. On Friday, Blackberry announced it had reached a settlement agreement with Facebook.

    At the same time, as TheStreet points out, Blackberry also sold 90 patents, related to mobile technologies, to Huawei. Company CFO Steve Rai described them as “a very small number of patents that are no longer relevant to the business.”

    The company also inked a deal with AWS to use its intelligent-vehicle-data platform, Ivy, as the basis for automakers to develop their own in-vehicle services.

    As TheStreet highlights, the combination of these three events is helping Blackberry rally, with its stock going on its best run in 20 years. Even more, it validates the company’s decision to focus on software, as opposed to the hardware business that defined the company before the rise of the iPhone and touchscreen interfaces.

  • BlackBerry Launches AI-Powered Blackberry Protect Mobile

    BlackBerry Launches AI-Powered Blackberry Protect Mobile

    BlackBerry has announced BlackBerry Mobile Protect, a mobile threat defense (MTD) solution based on artificial intelligence (AI).

    Once known for industry-leading mobile smartphones, BlackBerry was largely supplanted by Apple’s iPhone and Google Android phones. As a result, the company now focuses primarily on enterprise software, while licensing the rights to create Android phones to third-party companies. One thing BlackBerry has always been known for is first-class security.

    The company’s latest announcement extends the protection of BlackBerry Protect, bringing the same level of security to mobile devices. In particular, the technology leverages AI to provide “security teams with unprecedented visibility into their mobile, desktop, and server endpoints from a single security console, which is critical during a time when remote workers are being targeted with mobile malware and phishing attacks.”

    BlackBerry Protect Mobile is designed to detect attacks before they can be executed. This includes alerting users to dangerous URLs before they open them, as well as warning before a user visits a spoofing website, designed to steal their information.

    “The number of phishing attacks that target mobile users will continue to rise because business is being conducted on mobile devices and users are more susceptible to attacks when viewing and accessing content on the go,” said Billy Ho, Executive Vice President of BlackBerry Spark. “BlackBerry Protect Mobile provides mobile device security integrated into our unified endpoint security (UES) solutions for a simplified approach to identifying and alerting users and administrators to phishing attempts and mobile malware across the enterprise.”

    As mobile threats continue to rise, combined with the need for increased security for remote workers, it’s a safe bet that BlackBerry Mobile Protect will be a big hit for the company.

  • Back From the Dead: Blackberry Phones to Reappear in 2021

    Back From the Dead: Blackberry Phones to Reappear in 2021

    Blackberry phones are back from the dead with new models planned for 2021.

    Blackberry helped pioneer the modern smartphone, and held a special place in the hearts of millions of users. Blackberry devices were known for always-on connectivity and best-in-class physical keyboards. Like many devices, however, Blackberry lost ground to Apple’s iPhone and the plethora of Android devices that followed soon after. After some attempts to continue manufacturing their own phones, Blackberry shifted their focus to software and licensed the manufacturing rights to outside companies.

    TCL Communication was granted the global license rights and manufactured Blackberry devices until this year. In February, TCL announced they would stop selling Blackberry-branded devices as of August 31, 2020 and had lost all “rights to design, manufacture or sell any new BlackBerry mobile devices.”

    A new company, OnwardMobility, has secured the rights to continue manufacturing Blackberry phones, and they seem determined marry the best of Blackberry with the latest technology. According to the company’s announcement, the new phones will feature 5G, be powered by Android and will have a physical keyboard. The devices will be developed in close association with Blackberry and FIH Mobile, a Foxconn subsidiary. FIH Mobile’s involvement will help “ensure world-class design and manufacturing.”

    Given Blackberry’s well-established reputation for security and privacy, it’s no surprise OnwardMobility is heavily leveraging that, promising “the most productive, most user-friendly and most secure mobile devices ever created.”

    “BlackBerry is thrilled OnwardMobility will deliver a BlackBerry 5G smartphone device with physical keyboard, leveraging our high standards of trust and security synonymous with our brand. We are excited that customers will experience the enterprise and government level security and mobile productivity the new BlackBerry 5G smartphone will offer,” said John Chen, Executive Chairman and CEO, BlackBerry.

  • No More BlackBerry Phones From TCL

    No More BlackBerry Phones From TCL

    TCL Communication has lost its license to design and manufacture Blackberry phones, according to Digital Trends.

    In late 2016, BlackBerry stopped making its own phones, in favor of licensing manufacturing rights to other companies. TCL Communication was chosen as the global licensee, manufacturing and marketing phones under the name “BlackBerry Mobile.”

    According to a tweet on the official BlackBerry Mobile account, “as of August 31, 2020, TCL Communication will no longer be selling BlackBerry-branded mobile devices. TCL Communication has no further rights to design, manufacture or sell any new BlackBerry mobile devices.”

    As Digital Trends points out, it’s uncertain what has prompted the move. It’s possible the license simply expired. It’s also possible TCL may want to branch out on its own, using the experience it’s gained manufacturing BlackBerry phones to design and create its own line.

    Whatever the reason, it leaves the BlackBerry brand in unknown territory. It remains to be seen if another company will buy up the global license, or if BlackBerry will focus exclusively on software from this point forward.

  • CES 2020: Blackberry & AWS Partnering To Deliver Connected Vehicle Software Platform

    CES 2020: Blackberry & AWS Partnering To Deliver Connected Vehicle Software Platform

    Blackberry and AWS have announced a partnership at CES 2020, aimed at helping automakers tackle the challenges of modern autos.

    According to the press release, the partnership will leverage Blackberry’s QNX operating system (OS), in combination with AWS’ Internet of Things (IoT) cloud services. With QNX, automakers will be able to provide a single OS for all the various “in-vehicle systems such as gateways, TCUs, engine controllers, digital cockpits and emerging domain controllers.”

    Automakers will also be able to use the AWS-powered OS in electric and autonomous vehicles, “enabling essential functions such as continuous EV battery life monitoring and prediction, and managing vehicle sub-systems to holistically control warranty costs, providing important security updates and seamless updates of vehicle software features to delight their customers, and drive monetization of vehicle data while exercising control over data access.”

    The platform will provide a way for automakers to collect valuable data from vehicle sensors and use that data to build and test models, as well as develop software designed to address specific needs.

    “By working with AWS, we can provide OEMs with a unique foundational software platform that will allow them to build the next generation connected and autonomous cars of the future,” said John Wall, Senior Vice President and Co-Head of BlackBerry Technology Solutions. “By combining our technologies and strengths into one dedicated cloud-based offering, we can ensure automakers have the tools they need to deliver the driving experience consumers want, without sacrificing on the security and reliability they need.”

    “Our automotive customers are developing exciting new products and services that rely on the power of the cloud, IoT, and AI/ML. We are thrilled to be working with BlackBerry QNX to provide secure connectivity and advanced edge computing capabilities for the next generation of electric and autonomous vehicles,” said Bill Vass, Vice President, Technology, Amazon Web Services, Inc.

  • Blackberry Announces New Cybersecurity R&D Unit

    Blackberry Announces New Cybersecurity R&D Unit

    Blackberry, once the de facto standard among smartphones, has struggled to remain relevant in the iPhone and Android era. A new initiative may help change that. According to a press release, the company is going back to its roots and doubling down on security.

    Throughout its history, Blackberry’s security has been legendary, based on strong encryption algorithms that have given government agencies and hackers alike a run for their money. Now, Blackberry Limited has created the Blackberry Advanced Technology Development Labs (Blackberry Labs), a new business unit that will focus on cybersecurity R&D.

    Company CTO Charles Eagan will head up Blackberry Labs and oversee a team of more than 120 software developers, researchers, architects, security experts and product leads. The team will focus on developing new technologies to help the Blackberry platform stay on the forefront of cybersecurity.

    The team will use machine learning and data science to analyze threats companies face, especially at a time when the Internet of Things (IoT) has drastically changed the nature of cybersecurity and opened companies to entirely new risks.

    “The establishment of BlackBerry Labs is the latest in a series of strategic moves we’ve taken to ensure our customers are protected across all endpoints and verticals in the new IoT,” said Charles Eagan, BlackBerry CTO. “Today’s cybersecurity industry is rapidly advancing and BlackBerry Labs will operate as its own business unit solely focused on innovating and developing the technologies of tomorrow that will be necessary for our sustained competitive success, from A to Z; Artificial Intelligence to Zero-Trust environments. We believe this highly experienced team will allow us to remain nimble, engaged and, above all else, proactive in our efforts to be the most trusted security software leader in the market.”

    At a time when cybersecurity and privacy are at the forefront of the tech industry, with the latter increasingly being considered a fundamental human right, Blackberry Labs could help the company regain lost ground.

  • BlackBerry is Now Suing Facebook for Copying Its Messaging Technology

    BlackBerry is Now Suing Facebook for Copying Its Messaging Technology

    BlackBerry Ltd. filed a lawsuit against Facebook on Tuesday, claiming that the social media giant and its wholly owned apps, Instagram and WhatsApp, infringed on the former smartphone maker’s messaging patents.

    “Defendants created mobile messaging applications that co-opt BlackBerry’s innovations, using a number of the innovative security, user interface, and functionality enhancing features that made BlackBerry’s products such a critical and commercial success in the first place,” BlackBerry said in its complaint filed with a Los Angeles federal court.

    BlackBerry’s spokesperson Sarah McKinney said in an email, “Protecting shareholder assets and intellectual property is the job of every CEO.”

    Although the former phone maker claimed that there had been “several years of dialogue” with the social media company, BlackBerry intends to proceed with the case in the interest of its shareholders, McKinney added.

    In its 117-page suit, BlackBerry accused Facebook and its subsidiary services WhatsApp and Instagram of copying its patented technology. Cited examples include the cross-platform notifications and capability to share Instagram Stories on Facebook.

    Meanwhile, Facebook Deputy General Counsel Paul Grewal expressed the social network company’s clear intention to counter the claim.

    In a statement, Grewal said, “Blackberry’s suit sadly reflects the current state of its messaging business. Having abandoned its efforts to innovate, Blackberry is now looking to tax the innovation of others. We intend to fight.”

    Previously, Facebook executives pointed out that replicating what works is necessary for advancing the tech industry. After all, Facebook wasn’t the pioneer of social media. Remember Friendster and MySpace?

    BlackBerry led the innovation of messaging during the time when the cost of sending a simple text message to another country was exorbitant. BlackBerry phones with built-in BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) allowed users to securely send messages globally. Over the years, the easy availability of WhatsApp, Messenger, and Skype on Android and iOS platforms overthrew BBM.

    Ultimately, the exclusivity of BBM to BlackBerry handsets resulted in declining phone sales. The company eventually stopped producing phones and sold the brand name to TCL, a China-based electronics maker.

    [Featured image via Blackberry]

  • Facebook on BlackBerry Will Continue Via Web App

    Facebook on BlackBerry Will Continue Via Web App

    In what appeared to be a major blow to the already struggling BlackBerry, Facebook recently decided to discontinue WhatsApp and Facebook API support for BlackBerry. The company indicated it would end support for BlackBerry 10 and BBOS at the end of the year.

    BlackBerry’s Lou Igazzola said the company was “extremely disappointed” in Facebook’s decision because many of its users use Facebook and WhatsApp. Of course they do. These are two of the most popular apps out there, and for many people, it’s hard to imagine using a phone that doesn’t support them in this day and age.

    At the same time, it’s also understandable why Facebook would want to end support of such operating systems. Even BlackBerry itself has turned to Android.

    BlackBerry clarified after the news made the rounds, however, that Facebook will continue to support BlackBerry 10 and BBOS with a web-based app.

    Igazzola wrote, “For those just hearing about this news, we have an updated web-based Facebook app that replaces the native app for BlackBerry 10 and BBOS. The update is required because the native app will stop working on March 31. The new web-based Facebook app provides additional features not available on the native app…”

    These include the ability to reply to and see replies to comments, the elimination of “News feed could not be retrieved” messages, and any features made available to Facebook web users.

    No updates on WhatsApp support were announced.

    Images via Facebook, BlackBerry

  • Facebook Pulls BlackBerry Support

    Facebook Pulls BlackBerry Support

    Facebook has dealt a major blow to the already struggling BlackBerry. The social media giant recently decided to discontinue support of their APIs for BlackBerry (for Facebook and WhatsApp). They will end support for BlackBerry 10 and BBOS at the end of the year.

    BlackBerry’s Lou Igazzola expressed his disappointment in a blog post (via AdWeek), and encouraged users to protest to Facebook. He wrote:

    We are extremely disappointed in their decision as we know so many users love these apps. We fought back to work with WhatsApp and Facebook to change their minds, but at this time, their decision stands (but let them know how you feel on social media, using the hashtag #ILoveBB10Apps). Despite this, we have worked hard to ensure our end users have the best experience in light of this decision, and are continuing to search for alternate solutions.

    Our commitment to BlackBerry 10 and to developers has not changed – we know our developer community continues to be one of the strongest proponents of BlackBerry 10 and they are creating thousands of apps every month. As a way to support them and to promote new apps, we’re now featuring some of the best native applications on BlackBerry World in a list called “Great Apps on BlackBerry.” The category will be a list of 20 applications, featured for two weeks, once per month, similar to the way we feature apps on the BlackBerry World Carousel. We’re also continuing whenever we can to invest in apps important to users, such as the update to the Twitter app released today with important fixes and another update coming in a month with new features. This ensures that our many BlackBerry 10 customers have the best OS and apps possible.

    Losing support for WhatsApp is one thing, but not having support for Facebook is a huge problem for a device maker to have at this point.

    At last count, Facebook has 1.04 billion daily active users. It has 934 million mobile daily active users. It has 1.44 mobile monthly active users.

    Image via Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook)

  • BlackBerry Acquires ‘Anti-Eavesdropping’ Company Secusmart

    BlackBerry announced that it has reached an agreement to acquire Secusmart, a voice and data encryption company, which makes “anti-eavesdropping” solutions for government organizations and companies.

    The two companies have partnered in the past, offering Secusmart technology, including the SecuSUITE for BlackBerry 10 solution, to BlackBerry customers.

    “We are always improving our security solutions to keep up with the growing complexity of enterprise mobility, with devices being used for more critical tasks and to store more critical information, and security attacks becoming more sophisticated,” said BlackBerry CEO and Executive Chairman John Chen. “The acquisition of Secusmart underscores our focus on addressing growing security costs and threats ranging from individual privacy to national security. This acquisition bolsters our security solutions with leading voice and data encryption and anti-eavesdropping technologies, and furthers BlackBerry’s security leadership in end-to-end mobile solutions.”

    “This transaction is a fantastic opportunity to accelerate growth in the market for high-end secure communications solutions, driven by the need to combat electronic eavesdropping and data theft,” said Dr. Hans-Christoph Quelle, Managing Director of Secusmart. “Secusmart and BlackBerry’s solution already meets the highest security requirements of the German federal authorities and NATO for restricted communications. We see significant opportunities to introduce Secusmart’s solutions to more of BlackBerry’s government and enterprise customers around the world.”

    The deal is pending regulatory approvals. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

    Image via Secusmart

  • BlackBerry Adds Amazon Appstore To New OS

    BlackBerry Adds Amazon Appstore To New OS

    BlackBerry announced that the Amazon Appstore will be available with the launch of the next version of its operating system BlackBerry 10.3. This will come in the fall, and will be a significant increase in availability for Amazon’s offering.

    “With more than 240,000 Android applications in the Amazon Appstore worldwide, BlackBerry 10 device customers will gain access to popular apps such as Groupon, Netflix, Pinterest, Candy Crush Saga and Minecraft,” BlackBerry says.

    “Making the Amazon Appstore available on BlackBerry 10 devices will help BlackBerry continue to meet two essential needs: greater app availability for our smartphone users and enhanced productivity solutions for enterprises,” said BlackBerry CEO John Chen. “We’ve listened to our customers and have taken this important step to deliver on their needs, while executing on our strategy.”

    The use of these Android apps certainly brings another layer of intrigue to the BlackBerry platform, even if it has to add Amazon’s platform as a competitor simultaneously.

    Amazon, as you may know, is expected to unveil a smartphone today to go along with its Kindle Fire line of devices, which make use of the Appstore.

    Amazon has been talking up the store ahead of its launch event, claiming that it has over 240,000 apps and games, available in 200 countries.

    This seems like a win for Android as well, as its presence will be felt across yet another line of devices.

    Image via Amazon