Skip to main content

BlackBerry CEO slams tablets, follow-up to PlayBook seems unlikely

Blackberry Playbook
Image used with permission by copyright holder

BlackBerry CEO Thorsten Heins has a vendetta against tablets, slamming the devices in a recent interview. According to Heins, slates lack any long-term potential and make for a bad business model.

The PlayBook was – to put it bluntly – a failed launch by BlackBerry. Whether Heins comments stem from that failure or not, it seems we can count out a PlayBook 2 in the company’s future. “In five years I don’t think there’ll be a reason to have a tablet anymore,” Heins said. This prediction is in stark opposition to his generous sales forecast for the Q10, saying he expected it will sell “tens of millions of units,” Bloomberg reports. Tablets may be dead, but Heins still firmly believes in QWERTY devices.

However, just because Heins isn’t looking to expand further into tablet territory, that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have a strong vision for BlackBerry’s future. “In five years, I see BlackBerry to be the absolute leader in mobile computing – that’s what we’re aiming for,” Heins said at the Milken Institute conference in Los Angeles. “I want to gain as much market share as I can, but not by being a copycat.”

The company’s track record in the tablet sector explains Heins’ sentiments toward them, but it seems a strange statement in a world dominated by iPads and Android tablets. “Maybe [you’ll have] a big screen in your workspace, but not a tablet as such,” he continued. “Tablets themselves are not a good business model.”

From where he’s standing, it may seem entirely logical. The PlayBook was released as a smaller (7-inch) competitor to the iPad, but its limited app selection left consumers scratching their heads. By the time BlackBerry realized its mistake and issued a software update, consumers had moved on and the PlayBook was relegated to price cuts and fire sales to clear out inventory. Based on the PlayBook’s flop and Heins’ feelings, it’s pretty safe to assume there won’t be a successor anytime soon. 

Topics
Andrew Kalinchuk
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Andrew covers news and opinions pertaining to smartphones, tablets, and all else mobile for Digital Trends. He recently…
Microsoft Surface Laptop 5, Surface Pro 9 heavily discounted today
The Surface Pro 9 in laptop mode on a table.

Microsoft's Surface devices are well known for their versatility and performance, but they command premium prices. That's why there's always high demand for Surface Laptop and Surface Pro deals, as who doesn't want to enjoy a discount when making a huge investment? If you're interested, Best Buy is offering the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 at $300 off, which brings its price down to $1,000 from $1,300, and the Microsoft Surface Pro 9 at $540 off, which lowers its price also to $1,000 from $1,540, ahead of the arrival of the consumer versions of the Surface Laptop 6 and Surface Pro 10. You need to push through with your transaction as soon as possible if either of these bargains caught your attention, as we're not sure how much time is remaining before they disappear.
Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 -- $1,000, was $1,300

The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 is a traditional Windows 11 laptop that's powered by the 12th-generation Intel Core i5 Evo processor, Intel Iris Xe Graphics, and 8GB of RAM. It won't match up to the performance of the best laptops, but it's going to be more than enough to handle daily tasks for work or school. The laptop features a 13.5-inch PixelSense touchscreen with vibrant colors and sharp details, a battery that can last up to 18 hours on a single charge, and a 512GB SSD that provides ample storage space for your files. The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 also comes with a 720p webcam and dual far-field Studio Mics for clear video calls.

Read more
We have some bad news about the Google Pixel 9
A render of the Google Pixel 9 smartphone in black.

When the first wave of Google Pixel 9 series leaks arrived on the scene a few weeks ago, what really got us excited was the camera upgrade for the entry-level model. The leaked renders envisioned a triple-lens rear camera setup for the Pixel 9 that added a periscope-style telephoto snapper at the back alongside a radical design change.

Well, it seems those changes will remain a pipe dream, at least in 2024. OnLeaks, in collaboration with 91Mobiles, has shared alleged renders of the Pixel 9, claiming that the triple-camera devices in those leaked renders actually depicted the pricier Pixel 9 Pro and a new Pixel 9 Pro XL variant.

Read more
Google Pixel 9: news, rumored price, release date, and more
Front and rear profile of leaked Google Pixel 9 renders.

The Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro are Google's latest and most powerful devices, but it won't be that way for long. Rumors of the Google Pixel 8a mean this pair of flagships will be supplanted as the latest Google phones fairly soon — but they'll be able to hold on to the title of "most powerful" for a little while longer. The Google Pixel 9 range, while definitely on the way, isn't due to arrive any time soon.

But when it does, it's sure to be a pair of blockbusters. Leaks for the Pixel 9 family are a little thin on the ground at the moment, but it seems as if Google is planning on making some big changes this time around. If leaks are correct, we expect a new look and some exciting new AI features that go beyond what we've seen before.

Read more