Report: Blackberry in talks with ODMs to bring multiple Android phones this year
Blackberry’s new Android-related domains turned out to be landing portals for BES on Android, but we shouldn’t discount the notion that a Blackberry phone could be on the horizon. DigiTimes reports that Blackberry is definitely in talks with Taiwanese original device manufacturers Foxconn, Compal and Wistron to produce not just one, but multiple Android phones due at some point later this year.
These ODMs will apparently be responsible for not just production, but for costs of R&D, marketing and distribution, as well. That makes it a low-risk move for Blackberry to try Android on for size.
Previous rumors suggested Blackberry was working on a variant of the Blackberry Venice that ran Android, and the company’s own CEO even hinted that he wouldn’t mind exploring the possibility of making an Android phone:
We only build secure phones. And BlackBerry is the most secure phone. So if I can find a way to secure the Android phone, I will also build that.
News that more than the one phone we’re told to expect is very interesting, and you can bet we’ll be all eyes and ears when or if the Waterlook company makes this announcement.