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BlackBerry 10 OS May Be Licensed to Rivals

By August 15, 2012March 6th, 2023Technology News

Though Research In Motion, the creator of the BlackBerry handset and operating system, has adamantly denied that they will be licensing any part of the new BlackBerry system to other companies, Thorsten Heins has apparently changed his mind on the subject.

QNX, BlackBerry 10’s new OS, is “already licensed across the automotive sector… we could do that with BlackBerry 10 if we choose to,” and Heins added later in an interview with Bloomberg that “the platform can be licensed.”

This does not mean the software will be licensed, however, and there don’t appear to be any plans in the works to do so. There is also a recent statement from Samsung, who had considered using BlackBerry 10 technology, saying that they will not be buying any licenses for any software from RIM.

Licensing simply means that a third-party phone maker can use a specific technology on their devices. For example, Google licenses Android technology to over a dozen handset makers, and it has worked out for the best for the search engine giant. The OS’s market share takes over 50% of the market that isn’t occupied by iOS, according to a recent survey at ComScore.

“We’re not here to fight for third or fourth place,” Heins concluded. The BlackBerry OS is currently behind both Android and iOS. “We plan to eventually rise up above our current standing.”

Photo Credit: RIM

Jason Manteiga

Jason J. Manteiga, Vice President of Olmec Systems, has been part of the company for over the past 20 years. He believes that having a great work environment and supportive team, is the ultimate key to success. Since being in the IT realm for over 25 years, Jason, along with Olmec Systems, has been on the Inc. 5000 “List of America’s Fastest Growing Private Companies” and Channel Futures MSP 501 “Top Managed Service Providers in North America,” along with other awards and nominations. Jason earned his Bachelor Degree in Information Systems from the New Jersey Institute of Technology. He also holds certifications in Microsoft MCSE, VMWare VCP, and Cisco CCNA. In his spare time, Jason is a contributor for The Center for Social & Legal Research (Privacy Exchange) and a member of the Morris County Chamber of Commerce. His hobbies include cycling and kayaking. He currently lives in New Jersey with his wife, two daughters and son.