14 DAY TRIAL // BlackBerry is one of the few companies that continues to innovate each year, but that probably comes from the need to lure more customers into buying its products.
The Canadian company needs to sell 10 million smartphones per year to be profitable, and judging by the reports coming from BlackBerry’s official, this number may be achieved thanks to Passport’s good sales.
Even if BlackBerry Passport’s sales were off to a good start in several countries, the Canadian company needs another smartphone that could sell at the same time as the Passport, as an alternative for those who can’t live with the square form factor.
That’s why the BlackBerry Classic will be launched on the market as early as November. These will be the last two smartphones launched by BlackBerry this year, but the Canadian company has a few more surprises for the next year.
BlackBerry announced a few weeks ago plans to launch an “unconventional” smartphone each year, so we should expect more devices like Passport to make it to the market yearly.
In this regard, Bloomberg reports the Canadian company has been recently awarded 27 patents by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), which hint to a wearable device and some enhanced security features.
BlackBerry fancies with the idea of launching one or more wearable devices and even confirmed it is now internally experimenting with some and will make an announcement soon.
The next "unconventional" smartphone could be unveiled in February 2015
One of the patents won by BlackBerry refers to a solution to unlock a smartphone using a wearable device without the user having to enter a passcode. Basically, you will be able to pair a smartphone and a smartwatch automatically.
Another patent is described as a case that comes with a touchscreen that would allow users to write notes on their smartphone without having to open the case.
BlackBerry confirmed that it would launch a new smartphone next year at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) trade fair, which is scheduled for later February / early March.
The unannounced device is thought to be either a full-touch phablet or a slider with QWERTY keyboard and retractable cover for the latter.
The Canadian company has a busy schedule in the next couple of months, which means there are enough resources for BlackBerry to try and win back some of the market share lost in the last few years.
More details on BlackBerry’s future plans will probably leak closer to MWC, but stay tuned for more additional info that might pop up sooner.
