RIM to license BB10 to Samsung and HTC?
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A move like this might explain why RIM has whittled down the number of handsets it is working on. Having to compete against other manufacturers would most likely create a squeeze on RIM’s hardware division, at least in the short term. On the other hand it might help buoy up market share of BlackBerry devices. Aside from licensing fees, RIM also gets revenue from BES and other services that run on its BlackBerry operating system, so licensing could prove to be more lucrative for them over the long haul.
Of particular interest would be if major Android and WP7 OEMs Samsung and HTC end up making BlackBerry smartphones. This diversifying of their product portfolios may be in response to Google’s purchase of Motorola, which some manufacturers may view as creating a conflict of interest at Google. It may also be in response to legal pressure and patent licensing costs many Android OEMs face today. If OEMs are looking find a viable second platform to support, the decision may also be driven in part by the poor sales of WP7 and Microsoft’s special treatment of Nokia.
In the end OEMs care most about what consumers want to buy. If a strategy of licensing BB10 to other companies is to work, RIM will have to make their next-generation mobile OS compelling enough to draw in customers away from Google’s Android and Apple’s iOS ecosystems. As Microsoft has learned over the last 18 months, that’s easier said than done.
Would you be interested in purchasing a BB10 handset from Samsung or HTC? Let us know in the comments below!
source: Barron's via BGR
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36 Comments
1. drahmad posted on 05 Jan 2012, 14:13 4 3
every decision that bb makes, shows how badly they are caught...
7. digicon posted on 05 Jan 2012, 14:24 5 2
Every decision that BB makes ? . . Have you seen your profile pic . ? . eek . . .
28. metoyou posted on 05 Jan 2012, 20:41 0 0
I think this is a good decision make by RIM, let other manufactures spread its OS to mass consumers so RIM can focus on enterprise front and make the OS even better,ultimately this also strengthen the BB ecosystem as well.
personally i think QNX have the potential, the battery life, the superb smoothness, multitask and etc but RIM fail deliver it and now it's a good chance to spread its wing
Keep it up RIM!
30. sudhar131998 posted on 06 Jan 2012, 00:25 1 0
whoah think about new names
1.Samsung Galaxy BB
2.HTC BB sensation or HTC triple B for the beats audio based phone.
33. systamatics posted on 06 Jan 2012, 10:57 1 0
NO! we want ONLY the BBM (messenger) on android , not the OS!
2. zake892 posted on 05 Jan 2012, 14:13 1 0
well if that not a sigh R.I.M is dieing idk what is
3. kamejoko posted on 05 Jan 2012, 14:16 4 2
Never buy BB10 handset from Samsung or HTC. Never and never.
5. aleks posted on 05 Jan 2012, 14:21 1 1
I actually wouldn't mind buying a Samsung or HTC device from bb.
6. rockstarlive posted on 05 Jan 2012, 14:21 5 0
Well BB10 is gonna debut at MWC anyway next month.....so far at least not unless they decide bankruptcy.
BB10 on a Samsung phone. No
BB10 on a HTC phone, maybe
8. christianqwerty posted on 05 Jan 2012, 14:25 4 3
The main reason to buy a blackberry is the outstanding battery life and build quality, that is both gone with Samsung and HTC
17. catfacepanda posted on 05 Jan 2012, 15:52 2 0
Maybe not. Battery life depends a lot on how the OS manages resources too. I agree with build quality though.
21. Gotchafone posted on 05 Jan 2012, 17:50 3 1
HTC build quality is second to none. (Personal experience)
Unless you buy a Mytouch, then I agree.
24. remixfa posted on 05 Jan 2012, 18:13 0 0
Considering the longest lasting touchscreen smartphone availible right now is the SGS2 which is obviously a samsung, I dont get your point.
I think that a samsung superphone like an SGS2 with BB10 would be an ultimate test of the viability of BB10. With the new exynos 4212 chips coming out with 50% better battery life, that would get rid of any concerns right there.
What a beautiful set that would be. cant wait. :)
10. godsarmylds posted on 05 Jan 2012, 14:30 0 0
If I were Samsung and HTC I would say "hell no"!!! waste of finance to focus on any type of integrated blackberry os on their devices. Its not the blackbarry equipment its the OS. All your doing is masking the problem with the HTC or Samsung name. Lets be completely honest the only manufacture that can pull this one off is Apple. You slap an apple on the Blackberry device they'll sell like hot cakes.
11. rockstarlive posted on 05 Jan 2012, 14:34 0 2
I predict Black Berry is gonna fold in before MWC
13. bolaG posted on 05 Jan 2012, 14:48 0 0
Maybe a BB Moto but thats never going to happen sense google bought them out.
14. Droid_X_Doug posted on 05 Jan 2012, 14:48 0 0
Ironically, if RIM could get the BB 10 OS to not brick up the handset, partnering with people who have demonstrated success with handsets might be a smart move. RIM could focus on the BB software and the handset partners could focus on handsets.
15. thephoneguy92 posted on 05 Jan 2012, 14:58 1 1
I believe, as others have said, that this won't really help to much. BB has always been geared to a certain type of people, which is the business type. Considering that most of the smartphone buyers now are younger people, BB would have to change up their OS, not just their hardware. I have been a firm believer of the BB name, believing that they will bounce back, but I have lost my faith. They have chose to focus on a quick fix, a patch in a sinking boat. If they want to survive and thrive, they need to fix their OS.
16. ngo2dd posted on 05 Jan 2012, 15:15 1 0
I guess no one here have try the Qnx on the playbook it is very nice. BB10 is not the same as the other BB
18. quakan posted on 05 Jan 2012, 16:59 0 0
I think the reason RIM would choose Samsung and HTC because they are successful manufacturers and they're hot right now and because of that they could "test the waters" for RIM and see if they still have a chance with BB10. Just my guess but idk, I'd like to see what a Samsung GalaxyBerry or a HTC Berry Incredible would look like. I think Sammy and HTC could afford to produce a few models and see how successful they are or aren't.
19. TKFox007 posted on 05 Jan 2012, 17:36 2 0
The problem with RIM is that their hardware is so far behind the curve it's still at the starting line and they still refuse to conform to what people want when it comes to a smartphone now.
People saying that RIM is going to die off are probably half right, RIM may just turn into a software company, allowing other manufacturers to make the phones for them.
20. checkmymike posted on 05 Jan 2012, 17:42 0 0
this report is full of speculations! i can't believe this even made it here!
22. steviewonders posted on 05 Jan 2012, 17:52 1 0
Makes perfect sense if you ask me. Current Blackberry fans are a minimum so it doesn't really matter if it bothers them. Samsung and HTC are both popular manufactures that sell lots of devices. Their reputation will surely sell so Blackberry could potentially get more sales this way.
23. downphoenix posted on 05 Jan 2012, 17:54 1 0
I think this will be a good thing. It will give consumers more choice and give RIM more opportunity to rebuild marketshare. People crying foul about RIM having no marketshare need to realize they are still outselling WP7 3 to 1, and that's with an outdated os and hardware. They could easily oust any chance WP7 has at surviving in this market and have 3rd place in a stranglehold (and not be far behind Apple) if they pull this off. Microsoft is the one that's REALLY in trouble.
25. snowgator posted on 05 Jan 2012, 18:43 0 0
While this may make sense for RIM, not so sure the advantages for HTC or Samsung. I could even talk myself into seeing the advantages for HTC, as maybe a third OS line could add a little support in addition to Android and Windows. But, Samsung has both Android and Windows, their own Bada, and still are in development with Intel on a Meego successor. Why another poker in the fire?
And this is an unproven, unknown OS. Will existing BB apps work with it? Will Blackberry sell this successfully to them when Software has been their weakness?
Sorry, this goes in the "when I see it...." file for me. Not buying it at all right now.
26. remixfa posted on 05 Jan 2012, 19:09 2 0
The unproven OS carries a major brand name, especially when compared to meego/bada. Besides, Samsung/HTC would only WIN in that situation as they could use existing sets like the SGS2/nexus/Sensation/Evo and just slap BB onto them with minimum $$ investment besides driver compatibility. It would get them in to that very lucrative business segment that is BB's last strong hold while opening them up to more potential customers. And they could do that without having to be forced to pay MS $$ for every set sold like they do with Android.
32. snowgator posted on 06 Jan 2012, 04:18 0 0
All solid points, remixfa. I am just not a big believer in BB software. They cannot make it work right in all their designs after two years of prep, so they just give it to someone else and it magically takes off?
And HTC/Sammy would still pay Blackberry for it. So, yes, it is an investment. Considering RIM has not seen a penny returned yet on their R&D costs for QNX/BBX/BB10 except for the playbook, they may expect a considerable cash cow to appease their stockholders. The licensing agreements with MS on the Android handsets is small compared to the profits they receive on Android sales.
IF the software is solid, IF the app support from current Blackberries is portable, and IF the cost is low, I guess I can see it. But that is a lot of "if"s for companies to take a flier on. I am still not believing it, but as I am fond of saying: I spend a lot of time being wrong. This is better than watching RIM going belly up.
27. CRICKETownz posted on 05 Jan 2012, 20:28 1 0
though RIM seems to be sinking slowly, i would be interested to see what Os10 brings to the table. the Blackberry Bold Touch isn't a bad phone. only thing that it lacks is the vast app catalog that is present on Android or iOS. let's face it, now days its more about app availability than actual functionality. an OS can always be learned over time...but what differentiates a good one from a mediocre is expandability, which Blackberry OS seems to lack. luckily RIM still has a huge BES base out there or they would be out of luck. anyway, i'm a fan of tech...so let's see what OS10 has to offer.
31. HTCOE posted on 06 Jan 2012, 01:22 0 0
just imagine a custom htc sense ui over bb ... cool in my opinion
36. Ivan6479 posted on 09 Jan 2012, 09:30 0 0
Man I can't believe how many negative comments there are. I guess many of these people never owned BlackBerry's (BB) before. I think people are forgetting that BB or shall I say RIM was once in the fore front and maybe this decision they're making will open up some serious possibilities seeing how it will now let them focus more on the OS side of things instead of the hardware, which could help them to turn out something very special. After all that's what Google did with Android from the start.
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