Should Microsoft Buy BlackBerry?

[fatclue_98]

I've always been able to pick up and use any Android, iPhone, or Windows Phone without needing to read a manual.

At the time OS 10 was released, unless you had experienced webOS you would be lost. Now that Android has been "Duarte-sized" since ICS, the gestures are not as foreign. From your Home Screen, you swipe left for apps (exactly like iOS and webOS before it). The notifications are a pull-down like iOS, Android and now WP. To close an app or multitask, you swipe up from the bottom, just like webOS.

This has not changed since the beginning but now that other OSes have followed suit, it's 2nd nature. The split-panel apps, swipes, etc. is all Matias Duarte. QNX "borrows" heavily from webOS and I'm surprised RIM didn't get sued by HP when the PlayBook came out.

 

[boltz82]

BB10 has discoverability problems. Gestures aren't intuitive, people has to be trained or read instruction to use the device. The graphical aspect of the UI is boring, they improved a bit in the latest versions but It's still unattractive.
Personally I don't like hubs and I think most people don't like them. A specialized app for each service is the most common usage pattern.
I don't think BB10 adds much compared to the other OSs. In general, the OS is quite irrelevant these days. BlackBerry doesn't have other assets that could integrate into the OS to create more value. If BB10 disappears few would notice.

The last quarter was pretty awful, the growth of the software unit disappointed and Chen showed a lot weakness in the EC, admitting that the goal of $600 million in software revenue is impossible to reach organically. The stock crashed after that and the current stock price is mostly explained by the acquisition rumors. Things could change in the following quarters, but from what is publicly known now, Chen is failing.

I don't think BlackBerry's patents worth that much. In that case, what is stopping BlackBerry from unleashing that value? IP revenue is insignificant at the moment.

I believe that we will have to disagree on a few of your key points here.

1. I do not believe that the gestures aren't intuitive, quite the opposite.
2. I can understand that some may not like the hub, i know though that others do. I won't speculate on what percentage is which but I think that you form your own predetermined "facts".
3. Your statements about Blackberry's growth and quarterly earnings seem off putting. I believe that your statements in regards to John Chen's failing is again your own predetermined "facts". I would prefer to stick to the numbers. Please read the following:

http://press.blackberry.com/content...h_Flow_for_the_Fiscal_2015_Fourth_Quarter.pdf

 

[Spectrum90]

I believe that we will have to disagree on a few of your key points here.

1. I do not believe that the gestures aren't intuitive, quite the opposite.
2. I can understand that some may not like the hub, i know though that others do. I won't speculate on what percentage is which but I think that you form your own predetermined "facts".
3. Your statements about Blackberry's growth and quarterly earnings seem off putting. I believe that your statements in regards to John Chen's failing is again your own predetermined "facts". I would prefer to stick to the numbers. Please read the following:

http://press.blackberry.com/content...h_Flow_for_the_Fiscal_2015_Fourth_Quarter.pdf

I don't see "hub apps" in the top places in any of the app stores. I think most people prefer to use each service with the official app to get the full experience.

The dying but extremely profitable SAF business is keeping BlackBerry alive, none of the other units are seeing much success. SAF is a time bomb, if they don't develop another business there is no point in keeping the company alive.
The financial stabilization wasn't caused by a material improvement of the new businesses. It was caused by the downsizing of the extremely unprofitable hardware business.
It's early, Software still could take off, but its results have been disappointing until now. Let's see next quarter.

 

[Angry_Mushroom]

Yes. MS should buy Blackberry.

Both companies have strong ties to the commercial side, and would certainly complement each other quite well with MS taking on the desktop side, while Blackberry could more than handle the mobile side of the equation.

Also a major point that was not mentioned is Blackberry's QNX system. Since Ford has announced their move away from Sync, Microsoft has largely fallen out of the automotive market with no real way to get back in. The purchase of Blackberry and QNX would give Microsoft access to a majority of the automotive market.

The rumors of Samsung and a few Chinese companies looking at it doesn't bode well, nor makes any real sense. Samsung is currently invested in Tizen and Android, and I can't see Xiamoi or even Lenovo taking over without intense scrutiny from the Canadian government. Feel free to go check the Crackberry forums. I've seen quite a few rumors ranging from Tim Hortons to Crackberry buying out Blackberry.

Then again... Personally. I've love to see Blackberry survive, and return to power in some form. The world deserves more than 3 mobile OSes. I guess I'd love to see a marketplace that isn't exclusively American. (Android, iOS, Windows Phone)

 

[fatclue_98]

I don't see "hub apps" in the top places in any of the app stores.

BB Hub is not an app, it's a core OS function as much as IE is to Windows Phone - cannot be deleted. BB has been using the universal inbox since forever and yes, there are still separate mail, FB, Twitter, LinkedIn, SMS/MMS apps. They're all bundled with the OS unlike some others so the decision to use the Hub is purely at the user's discretion. Each individual app shows a notification in its icon, which I personally find redundant, but the choice is there.

As for the financials, I think you should find a respectable financial publication to get your information instead of a tech enthusiast site. You're very off base.

 

[Vorkosigan]

I would love to see Windows 10 on a Passport with the BB10 Hub and email client. I've been using an 830 now for 2 months and its upsetting to me how poor the email and text client are. There are a lot of things I like about this phone - but those 2 things are so critical to me and were so smooth and useful in BB10. Now I would rather use my computer than try and use my phones email.

That said - I doubt there's any truth in this rumour - although Microsoft would be a lot more palatable to the Canadian government than Lenovo.

 

[LuxuryTouringZone]

Should Microsoft Buy BlackBerry?

No, I think they really shouldn't. As many have already said, it's just a lousy false rumor anyway.

 

[Spectrum90]

BB Hub is not an app, it's a core OS function as much as IE is to Windows Phone - cannot be deleted. BB has been using the universal inbox since forever and yes, there are still separate mail, FB, Twitter, LinkedIn, SMS/MMS apps. They're all bundled with the OS unlike some others so the decision to use the Hub is purely at the user's discretion. Each individual app shows a notification in its icon, which I personally find redundant, but the choice is there.

As for the financials, I think you should find a respectable financial publication to get your information instead of a tech enthusiast site. You're very off base.

I meant "hub apps" in other platforms aren't popular, which suggests lack of demand for that use case.

I actually follow the company, so I'm quite familiar with the details.

 

[neo158]

At the time OS 10 was released, unless you had experienced webOS you would be lost. Now that Android has been "Duarte-sized" since ICS, the gestures are not as foreign. From your Home Screen, you swipe left for apps (exactly like iOS and webOS before it). The notifications are a pull-down like iOS, Android and now WP. To close an app or multitask, you swipe up from the bottom, just like webOS.

This has not changed since the beginning but now that other OSes have followed suit, it's 2nd nature. The split-panel apps, swipes, etc. is all Matias Duarte. QNX "borrows" heavily from webOS and I'm surprised RIM didn't get sued by HP when the PlayBook came out.

There are three things wrong with your post:

1. On BB10 notifications are not accessed via a pull down, it's a swipe up and to the right.

2. To close an app the swipe up only works from within an app and only takes you to the open apps, you still have to tap the "X" to close the app.

3. No other mobile platform borrows gestures from BB10, most of the gestures BB10 has are BB specific. Yes, other platforms have gestures but they don't depend on them as the ONLY interaction method, those that do are usually using manufacturer software and it's not part of the base OS.

I do like BB10 and the gesture based interaction system is a totally unique way of interacting with a modern smartphone.

 

[Harika Ilavarapu]

is it true

 

[Pavstar619]

BlackBerry's not very popular in my country. I have only ONE classmate out of the 300 or so using a BlackBerry Z10. Also I haven't seen any BB Users in my college or in general even, well other than people over 30s (Uncles, Aunts from abroad). So go for it Microsoft!!

 

[fatclue_98]

There are three things wrong with your post:

1. On BB10 notifications are not accessed via a pull down, it's a swipe up and to the right. That's for the Hub, notifications come in at the top of the screen and are actionable.

2. To close an app the swipe up only works from within an app and only takes you to the open apps, you still have to tap the "X" to close the app. The swipe up gets you to the Active Frames. From there you can leave it and go to another app or close with another swipe up.

3. No other mobile platform borrows gestures from BB10, most of the gestures BB10 has are BB specific. Yes, other platforms have gestures but they don't depend on them as the ONLY interaction method, those that do are usually using manufacturer software and it's not part of the base OS. I didn't say others borrow from BB10, I said others have ripped off webOS. Because the "father" of webOS is now Google's Design Chief, swipes and gestures are more commonplace.

I do like BB10 and the gesture based interaction system is a totally unique way of interacting with a modern smartphone.

The gist of my post was that many claimed BB10 to be unintuitive. When it was released, only webOS had gestures as the exclusive navigation method. Now, gestures are everywhere but the notion that BB10 is unintuitive or complicated persists.

 

[LockOnTech]

I think microsoft should buy blackberry, that way it may push a broad stance on a stronger enterprise. I know there maybe some negative points about this as well, but someday we need to move on because the world and the market is constantly changing.

 

[fatclue_98]

I think microsoft should buy blackberry, that way it may push a broad stance on a stronger enterprise. I know there maybe some negative points about this as well, but someday we need to move on because the world and the market is constantly changing.

Microsoft definitely needs the enterprise sector to maintain a strong presence in mobile. However, buying BlackBerry for the sake of eliminating the competition is an expensive proposition. I'm quite sure Microsoft learned this invaluable lesson with the Nokia acquisition. With the recent trend of offering MS services on other platforms I think Microsoft may be on the way to establishing the brand in the mobile arena. I say build a better mousetrap and they won't need to buy anybody. The United States Army is BlackBerry's most important customer according to John Chen himself. Win them over and it's time to let the Fat Lady sing.

 

[LockOnTech]

Microsoft definitely needs the enterprise sector to maintain a strong presence in mobile. However, buying BlackBerry for the sake of eliminating the competition is an expensive proposition. I'm quite sure Microsoft learned this invaluable lesson with the Nokia acquisition. With the recent trend of offering MS services on other platforms I think Microsoft may be on the way to establishing the brand in the mobile arena. I say build a better mousetrap and they won't need to buy anybody. The United States Army is BlackBerry's most important customer according to John Chen himself. Win them over and it's time to let the Fat Lady sing.

Maybe not buy all of blackberry, but just a small stake; a light partnership for a brief period of time like how Ford and Mazda had. Mazda platform, ford parts (and vice versa); Blackberry traditional keyboard and trackpad, Windows 10. I know it is sky's the limit thinking, but hey why not have fun with the idea?

 

[fatclue_98]

Maybe not buy all of blackberry, but just a small stake; a light partnership for a brief period of time like how Ford and Mazda had. Mazda platform, ford parts (and vice versa); Blackberry traditional keyboard and trackpad, Windows 10. I know it is sky's the limit thinking, but hey why not have fun with the idea?

Another item to consider is that deal BB struck with Samsung to provide security for Knox. I don't know if it's a contractual agreement.