BlackBerry Limited (BBRY) continues down the comeback trail, hoping to once again find itself sitting at the top of the smartphone market. That won’t happen overnight, but CEO John Chen is hopeful that the company is moving in the right direction.
If BBRY wants to reach the top, it will have to overcome Apple Inc. (AAPL) and its iPhone at some point.
The two companies have been on opposite paths over the past few years, with BBRY taking a dive in the smartphone market, losing almost all of its meaningful market share, while AAPL has rocketed to the top.
BBRY vs. AAPL – The Battleground
Now that the details of the Apple iPhone 6 have been released to the public, BlackBerry knows what it is up against with its soon-to-launch Passport device.
Does the Passport have what it takes to compete head to head with the iPhone 6? Only time will tell, but Chen and company have positioned the device to be a major player.
A few things give the Passport a puncher’s chance in its battle against the iPhone 6.
First and foremost, its square size makes it unique — in a good way, of course. With this, users have the ability to cram more information onto their screen, making it a sound choice for business users.
The Qwerty keypad has been a BBRY staple for many years, and the Passport will continue the legacy. This feature has always been a big selling point for BlackBerry. The question is: Do consumers care anymore?
Finally, BBRY will continue to play up the fact that its devices and operating system are more secure than any other, including iOS. It doesn’t matter if you believe this to be true. BlackBerry has proved over the years that it knows a thing or two about mobile security, and this reality is often enough to win over consumers. But only if the company has something special to offer in terms of hardware.
BlackBerry now has a better idea of what the Passport will be up against in the iPhone 6. Do you like its chances to survive and thrive?
At the time of publication, Bibey had no positions in the securities mentioned.
