An Android-powered BlackBerry tablet could be in the works, as CEO John Chen has reportedly stated that BlackBerry’s hardware partner is excited about the idea of building a BlackBerry tablet that runs on Android software. This is by no means a confirmation that consumers will get a BlackBerry tablet that runs Android, let alone another BlackBerry tablet at all, but with Chen making remarks that suggest this is a possibility the potential that a new BlackBerry tablet could surface is sure to get some consumers interested in seeing what such a device might be like. Especially those who have been fans of BlackBerry’s recent efforts in the hardware space with Android devices like the KEYone and the DTEK60.
Although Chen didn’t mention a specific tablet device or a hardware partner, he did mention that BlackBerry is looking to branch out with their licensing, and in doing this would be looking to include tablets as a new form of hardware for them. In addition to tablets though Chen also stated that Internet of Things products were also part of the potential plan as are a range of other new gadgets, though no specifics were mentioned here either.
Even though a particular hardware partner wasn’t named, TCL is the company that’s currently behind the manufacturing of all BlackBerry’s current Android hardware due to them obtaining the global rights to build BlackBerry devices, so it wouldn’t be much of a stretch to think that they’re probably the company to build an upcoming tablet that runs on Android as well should it ever happen. When and if that happens though will still remain to be seen and even if BlackBerry comes to the decision to go forward with the plan and enter the tablet market again, it’s likely that a launch of such a device would be quite a ways off. That being said, a new BlackBerry tablet might not be such a bad idea for the company now that they’ve embraced Android for the software side of their devices. The last tablet that BlackBerry produced was the PlayBook around six years ago and while that was a popular tablet for its time, an Android tablet with BlackBerry’s touch of security would no doubt win over some consumers more than a BlackBerry tablet running on BlackBerry’s own OS.