BlackBerry has made an announcement yesterday, stating a new partnership with the British Smartphone manufacturer Bullit Group to certify as “BlackBerry Secure” the upcoming versions of CAT Rugged smartphones and Land Rover branded handsets. The market behind this new partnership is basically that using BlackBerry’s proprietary security system, both CAT and Land Rover will offer smartphones that can stand out externally, with a durable build, and inside with a safe OS.
BlackBerry Secure certification will include the Canadian company proprietary software and applications to protect device owner’s privacy while it will also offer a tough system for blocking attackers from exploiting the vulnerabilities found on a smartphone. The British company is responsible for licensing the CAT and Land Rover names for its phones, which are rugged in essence and totally meant for use in extreme situations or environments like construction sites.
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The company sells its smartphones in more than 100 countries with the majority of sales taking place in Europe, Africa, North America, Middle East and Latin America. According to BlackBerry, the new deal will help the company to boost the popularity of its secure ecosystem across the world.
“This new deal will allow us to expand our BlackBerry Secure footprint into the more than 100 markets that Bullitt Group currently distributes its products, especially in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Bullitt Group’s customers, from farmers and construction workers to outdoor enthusiasts, will now be able to have rugged products that aren’t just durable on the outside, but also strong on security on the inside.”
-Alex Thurber, SVP, and GM of Mobility Solutions, BlackBerry
BlackBerry also took the opportunity to announce its fiscal first quarter 2019 earnings. The company’s software and services revenue rose 18% year-over-year to $189 million. Overall the company reported a total revenue of $219 million during the first quarter of this year. According to the Canadian company that now has its smartphone business under the TCL arms to focus on software and services, the software and security segment will see a growth of 8% to 10% for the fiscal year of 2019.
