BlackBerry CEO John Chen has long made it obvious that he wants to turn a profit by 2016, but it’s now clear that nothing will stand in the way of that goal — not even his company’s smartphones. While devices are still part of the plan, Chen tells Bloomberg and Reuters that he wants to avoid depending on them for revenue, and may “not be in the handset business” if the hardware doesn’t make cash. The exec is more eager to generate income from software, including enterprise offerings and an expansion of QNX’s platform beyond cars and industrial gear.
Chen doesn’t think it will necessarily come down to axing BlackBerry’s best-known products, though. He believes that crew in Waterloo can still make money on phones as long as it ships at least 10 million units per year, which is feasible if current sales figures hold steady. There’s a glimmer of hope if you’re a fan of BlackBerry’s classic smartphone designs, then — just don’t get too attached, because they might not last forever.
Source: Engadget