Blackberry is determined to make its Mobility Solutions business profitable, and just revealed the latest move in its playbook.
The company on Wednesday launched a new software licensing program, dubbed BlackBerry Hub+, that will bring a suite of its applications to Android.
According to BlackBerry, Hub+ for Android includes applications like BlackBerry’s Hub, calendar, contacts, notes, tasks, device search, launcher and password keeper. BlackBerry said the software will be available for download in the Google Play store for any Android device running the 6.0 Marshmallow operating system.
BlackBerry’s Hub is a unified inbox that allows users to compose email and social media posts, respond directly to messages and calendar invitations, snooze items for later, file email messages in folders and search for messages or contacts.
“Our customers have always raved about the unique experience of our proprietary productivity apps such as the BlackBerry Hub, calendar and contacts, amongst others,” Blackberry Mobility Solutions COO and General Manager Ralph Pini said. “I’m excited that we’re now able to offer these amazing features to all Android users that demand the most out of their smartphones.”
BlackBerry said Hub+ for Android will initially be offered as a free 30-day trial that includes the Hub, calendar and password keeper. Use of the app beyond that time available for free with ads or for 99 cents per month without ads. The latter paid subscription will come with additional features including BlackBerry’s contacts, tasks, device search, notes and launcher functions.
Blackberry said in a Wednesday blog post it is looking to expand Hub+ access to Android 5.0 Lollipop and iOS users in the future.
The move has the potential to significantly expand the reach of BlackBerry’s secure communications and productivity features to, as Pini said, “any Android M consumer, enterprise or government customer.”
The licensing approach comes as BlackBerry both looks to further grow its software business and turn its struggling Mobility Solutions division to profitability.
BlackBerry’s launch of Hub+ for Android comes just weeks after the company launched its second Android smartphone, the DTEK50. At half the cost of the Priv, BlackBerry is hoping the mid-range device can gain a better foothold in the consumer and enterprise markets.
But BlackBerry may also have another licensing move up its sleeve.
At the BlackBerry Security conference in July, CEO John Chen hinted the company may consider a handset licensing strategy as well.
“There’s also another avenue of handset business,” Chen said during a media Q&A. “You can sustain it as a business by not having to make every handset. I’ll just leave it at that. We could license our technology and know-how and IT in how people make handsets, maybe even the name for that matter.”
