BlackBerry has announced its final licensing deal with Optiemus Infracom, which will ensure global distribution of its BlackBerry-branded devices.
Late last year, the company decided to outsource the development and design of its smartphones, as it focuses on software and services. In 2015, BlackBerry said it would do away with its own operating system and instead use the Android OS with a BlackBerry skin.
The Canadian technology company signed a global licensing agreement last year with Chinese firm TCL to supply to most countries. However, the deal did not include Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, India, or Indonesia.
Indonesia was covered by BlackBerry Merah Putih, which signed an agreement to manufacture, distribute and promote its branded devices in the country, where the devices are still popular.
The most recent agreement with Optiemus Infracom ensures the remaining countries ? Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and India ? will receive its BlackBerry Android devices.
Under the terms of the agreement, BlackBerry will license its security software and services suite, as well as related brand assets to Optiemus Infracom. The Indian company will then "design, manufacture, sell, promote and provide customer support for BlackBerry-branded mobile devices".
No financial terms of the deal were given; however, Reuters reported that one analyst estimates BlackBerry is collecting $1 per handset from around seven million third-party sales a quarter.
BlackBerry says it will continue to control and develop its security and software solutions, and maintain BlackBerry security software, including regular Android security updates to the platform.
Alex Thurber, senior VP and GM for mobility solutions at BlackBerry, says: "This is an important milestone in our strategy to put 'the smart in the phone', providing state-of-the-art security and device software on a platform relevant to mobile customers, with more localisation."
Just in time
Finalising of global manufacturing and distribution happened a few weeks before the company is expected to release its next Android device.
The BlackBerry Mercury is likely to be launched at Mobile World Congress later this month in Barcelona. The latest flagship device is rumoured to feature a physical QWERTY keyboard, a 4.5-inch display, and a fingerprint sensor embedded into the space bar of the keyboard.
The Mercury is aimed at the premium market, like the Priv launched in late 2015. Last year, the company released the DTEK50 and DTEK60 aimed at the mid-range market.
Share