It’s the IoT, Not the Priv, That Matters Most to BlackBerry Ltd

Most investors have their eyes on the upcoming launch of the Priv by BlackBerry Ltd. (TSX:BB)(NASDAQ:BBRY). And that makes sense because investors still clamour for the days when BlackBerry controlled the phone market. And on the surface, the Priv is likely to be the best bet for BlackBerry to regain market share. It can be billed as “Android Secure” and will come with all the apps in the Android ecosystem.
That all sounds great until you realize that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) has already won. According to CEO Tim Cook, 30% of iPhone buyers switched from Android during the fourth quarter. That is the single greatest ratio of switchers the company has ever experienced. Even Android can’t beat Apple anymore.
So, while the Priv might sell some devices–and it may even sell a good chunk of devices–that’s not really going to turn BlackBerry around. People like their iPhones. Executives like them, managers like them, and even people in charge of security at companies like them. The Priv may be Android Secure, but I don’t expect companies to suddenly wake up thinking that BlackBerry is the most secure mobile provider around