BlackBerry may launch its first Android smartphone – Les Echos

A sliding smartphone with the mobile operating system from Google could hit the market this fall, understands Reuters.

This would be a first. BlackBerry could equip its next smartphone of Android, the mobile operating system of Google, believes Reuters reported citing sources familiar with the four.

The company based in Waterloo, Ontario, had on its BlackBerry 10 smartphone line to regain ground to Apple’s iPhone, while the Canadian brand rose under 1% share of a market that has dominated time. But the goal was not achieved and the sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity, BlackBerry plans to turn to Google in order to refocus its activity on the management of software and devices.

It is not clear that using Android would mean the death of the BlackBerry 10 range, which after a launch in early 2013 fanfare and positive initial criticism, did not able to compete with its competitors, including lack of a sufficient number of compatible applications.

Reassure large customers on BES 12

“We do not comment on rumors and speculation but we remain committed to the BlackBerry 10 operating system, which provides unparalleled advantages in terms of safety and productivity,” responded BlackBerry email. A Google spokesman declined to comment.

The CEO of BlackBerry, John Chen, placing on the new system of mobile device management of his company, BES 12, which allows companies like governments to manage their BlackBerry devices and their intranets, but also other devices using Android, the Apple iOS platform or Microsoft Windows.

The main difficulty confronting Canadian society is to convince large customers that operational system actually works with all platforms.

Launching this fall?

According to two sources told Reuters, the launch of a device equipped Android would be a way for BlackBerry to demonstrate that it has confidence in the ability of the BES 12 not only manage, but also to secure the smartphones and tablets using the platforms of competitors.

A first BlackBerry slider phone with Android and should hit the market this fall, added the two sources, adding that it would be equipped with both a touchscreen and physical keyboard.

BlackBerry hopes to capture a clientele that is not phone at his convenience on the Android market, dominated by the tactile keyboards, while retaining the physical keyboard users wishing to benefit from wide range of proposed applications by Google.

Source Reuters