Skip to main content

Forget the masses: BlackBerry CEO’s biggest task is converting his wife from Android

BlackBerry Passport black lean
Image used with permission by copyright holder
BlackBerry CEO John Chen probably has one of the toughest jobs in the mobile industry: attempting to improve the fortunes of the once-great Canadian smartphone juggernaut. However, there’s something else in the job description no one noticed until now: He must also attempt to convert his wife to BlackBerry, according to an interview with the Financial Times.

Chen revealed that his wife would rather use her Samsung Galaxy smartphone than a BlackBerry smartphone. It turns out Chen has been embarrassed by this quip at a few parties. “So eventually I said she needed to use a BlackBerry,” said Chen. “’No, I like my Samsung,’ she said, and I told her she was embarrassing me.”

While Chen is unsure whether his wife still uses her Galaxy smartphone behind his back, she did find it difficult to go to BlackBerry. This is something Chen admitted is a common problem for first-time BlackBerry smartphone users.

“It is harder in the beginning, but once you get it, it’s actually quite powerul. It makes other devices look a little toyish,” said Chen. For some reason, however, Chen compared using a BlackBerry handset to driving a Lamborghini for the first time.

“There’s a special sequence but, once you know where all the things are, it blows your mind,” explained Chen. “Still, because of that, I would never buy a Lamborghini. We too need to make sure the learning curve is not too steep.”

While there’s still a long way to go to straighten out BlackBerry’s path, at least Chen’s commitment to the company is consistent. Of course, he’ll need more than words to convince his wife — and everyone else — to drop that Galaxy.

Editors' Recommendations

Williams Pelegrin
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Williams is an avid New York Yankees fan, speaks Spanish, resides in Colorado, and has an affinity for Frosted Flakes. Send…
TCL won’t make BlackBerry phones anymore, sending the brand back into limbo
BlackBerry Key2 LE review

TCL Communication has announced it will no longer be making BlackBerry smartphones, after taking over the dormant brand at the end of 2016, and bringing it back to life with a series of ever-improving devices. In a statement tweeted out by the official BlackBerry Mobile account, TCL Communication does not have the rights to design, manufacture, or sell BlackBerry phones any longer.

This means the BlackBerry Key 2 LE will be the last BlackBerry-branded phone produced by TCL Communication to be released, and it follows the BlackBerry Key 2, and the BlackBerry KeyOne. TCL Communication’s BlackBerry phones took the features fans of the brand loved — the physical keyboard, long battery life, and extra levels of security — and put them inside modern hardware with Google Android software. While not for everyone, they were successful with those either familiar with the brand, or those looking for something a little different.
What does this mean for BlackBerry?
The future of BlackBerry phones is once again unknown. While TCL Communication will not make another BlackBerry phone, it does not necessarily mean we will never see another BlackBerry phone. It’s possible the global license could be snapped up by another company eager to capitalize on the brand’s highly recognizable name. HMD Global, for example, has seen considerable success with the Nokia name since acquiring the license, while British phone maker Bullitt owns the license to make phones from brands including Cat, JCB, and Land Rover.

Read more
Sorry fans, Blackberry Messenger for Android and iOS died May 31
BlackBerry Key2 LE review

The BlackBerry Messenger app, better known as BBM, shut down on Android and iOS, nearly six years after it launched to the tune of more than 5 million downloads in its first eight hours. The consumer version of the messaging service will stop operating Friday, May 31, confirmed through the official BBM Twitter account, in an emotional goodbye.

https://twitter.com/BBM/status/1134414361060155392?s=19

Read more
BlackBerry Key2 LE: Everything you need to know
The BlackBerry Key2 LE is back home at Verizon, but only for business types
BlackBerry Key2 LE Hands On

The BlackBerry Key LE is a lower-cost version of the Key2, doing away with some of the more high-tech features seen on the expensive sister phone, and cutting costs by using different materials for the body, to create a more affordable but still distinctly BlackBerry smartphone.

You can check out our Key2 LE review to learn more about what it's like to live with the phone, but in the meantime, here are all the technical specs, details, and availability options.
Updates
The BlackBerry Key2 LE is available to buy at Verizon, but only to business and enterprise customers, according to reports. Verizon's selling the Key2 LE for $450 without a contract, or for $100 if you sign up for a two-year plan. The phone does not show up on Verizon's non-business store, so there does not seem to be the option to buy the phone for this price without a business plan.

Read more