Life for BlackBerry has been a struggle, but the Canadian phone maker isn't giving up just yet, as evidenced by CEO John Chen's CNBC commentary outlining "the way forward."
"It's been easy for competitors to promote negative stories about BlackBerry," he began. "But I'm not focused on who BlackBerry used to be—I'm focused on what BlackBerry will be today and in the future."
Less than two months into the job, the interim chief talked up his "talented team of industry leaders" and insisted that the company remains the leader in mobile-device management, adding that the BBM messaging service is the most secure among its kind.
The cross-platform BlackBerry Messenger launch, however, has not enjoyed such praise. In September, an unofficial version of the Android and iOS apps leaked online, prompting the company to disable the Android application and delay the launch of both.
Today, each is available for free download in its respective app store. Chen promised a continued investment in the application, with more features and channels added in the coming years.
But messaging is only one piece of the broader puzzle, which includes core priorities like enterprise services, the QNX embedded business, and the long-standing device business.
BlackBerry has been manufacturing handsets since 1999, but the rise of touchscreen smartphones from heavyweights Apple and Samsung have massively tipped the scales against the Canadian firm in recent years. Chen is hoping to make a comeback, though; in less than two months, the executive chairman has already inked a manufacturing deal with Foxconn to develop a consumer smartphone for Indonesia and "other fast-growing markets."
Chen, former chairman and CEO of software developer Sybase, took over BlackBerry in early November, following the ousting of Thorston Heins in a $1 billion Fairfax Financial investment deal.
"This isn't the first time I've held the reins at a tech company facing challenging circumstances," Chen said, referencing his work with Sybase. "I'm here to tackle this challenge because I believe we can succeed."
Not all is lost for BlackBerry, which boasts a cash reserve of more than $3 billion, as well as what Chen called "a renewed spirit."
"I believe BlackBerry has a clear lane ahead of us to create new trails as a nimbler, more agile competitor. The journey has just begun," he said.
For more, see Can You Really Count on BlackBerry?
31 Dec, 2013
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