BlackBerry stakes its future on the Android powered Priv smartphone

BlackBerry's newest flagship smartphone, the Priv, is expected to come out of the box pre-installed with Android software. This is the first time the Canadian tech giant ventured out of its zone and worked with a mobile operating software other than its own.

Although this news only recently made its way to the Internet, it’s become apparent talks about a collaboration between Google and BlackBerry actually started a year ago. Ron Louks, head of BlackBerry's smartphone niche, met up with CEO John Chen and Google executives in Las Vegas in January 2014.

Chen and Louks might not have tried their luck at the tables, but they did bet on the company's future. Their meeting with Google's bosses during the annual Consumer Electronics Show could be viewed as their most important appointment that year, considering it was a make or break deal for the Canada-based company.

"Android, in our mind, was a long time coming”, Louks confirmed, according to CNET. It’s become clear negotiations with Google on how BlackBerry could improve its smartphone sales with an Android mobile OS have long been underway.

Now, almost two years after the important Vegas meeting, BlackBerry is preparing to launch an Android-powered BlackBerry Priv. This deal was sealed in the hopes of winning over customers that have opted to abandon their BlackBerry units for Apple's iPhone and Samsung' Galaxy series.

BlackBerry has been struggling to keep its smartphone business with its native mobile software afloat for the past five years. The company has lost over $8.44 billion in the past couple of years. Tying their fortunes to what is now recognized as the world's most popular operating system just might do the trick. The US$984 Priv turning out to be a flop is expected to spell the end for its smartphone niche.

"If this does not resonate with users, there is not much else they can do”, said Chris Hazelton, an analyst from 451 Research. To re-establish itself in the market, BlackBerry must be able to sell five million Priv handsets next year. This is a tall order considering that BlackBerry only managed to ship 800,000 last quarter, which, in turn, is less than half of the number of units it sold a year ago.

Chen believes 2016 is BlackBerry's make or break year. "Otherwise, I have to think twice about what I do there," he said, as quoted by CNET,.

Contact writer at feedback@ibtimes.com.au, or let us know what you think below.