Blackberry is considering launching an Android OS based smartphone this year. This would be the company’s first Android device and it would be on the back of a not so successful revamped line of devices running QNX-Based Blackberry 10 OS. Lack of big name apps are one of the main problem facing BB 10 devices.
According to Re/Code, citing four people familiar with the matter; Blackberry is expected to launch an Android OS based device to help it get back some market share it lost to Apple’s iPhone and the millions of Android smartphones that has launched since then.
The goes further to state that the Blackberry Slider which was showed off at the MWC 2015, could be the first Android smartphone from the company. Launching an Android device would help the company send out a message that its cross-platform Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) solution – BES12 is capable of managing and securing smartphones and tablets running rival OS.
READ: Blackberry Glide – Blackberry Slider smartphone gets rendered
The aforementioned Blackberry Slider smartphone is expected to combine a touchscreen display with a physical keyboard which it’s usage is optional. The device asides running Android OS would also comes with Blackberry 10 patented features .
It is still not back to glory days for Blackberry, while the company is still seeing success in its Software unit, the company’s hardware unit is getting no better day in, day out. Could launching an Android based Blackberry device help the country get back on track? Only time will tell.
