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BlackBerry sells software and security services that help governments and large companies protect devices, networks, and data, and it also licenses its brand and patents.
BlackBerry is no longer the company that made the phones with the tiny keyboards. Today it is a software and security company. It sells to governments and big organizations — the kind of customers who care a lot about keeping hackers out and secrets in. Its two main businesses are cybersecurity software (protecting phones, computers, and networks) and a smaller "Internet of Things" arm whose software runs inside cars and other connected machines.
Here is the basic problem it solves. A large organization has thousands of devices, employees working from anywhere, and mountains of sensitive data. BlackBerry sells software that checks who is allowed in, watches for suspicious behavior, and locks things down when something looks wrong. Customers pay for subscriptions, so the money comes in steadily rather than in one big lump. Its car software is a quieter but interesting bet: automakers embed it in vehicles to keep the electronic systems safe and running, and BlackBerry earns money per car. The honest part is that this turnaround has been rocky. BlackBerry was slow to adapt after losing the phone war to Apple and Google's Android, and its software growth has repeatedly disappointed investors. Management has cycled through strategies and leaders, and revenue has shrunk in recent years. In 2024 the company split its two businesses — cybersecurity and the Internet of Things — into separate reporting units, effectively putting them up for a possible separation or sale, which tells you the pieces may be worth more apart than together.
So what are you buying? A small, unprofitable-ish software company with a famous name, a pile of patents, and a loyal base of security-conscious government customers. The upside is that car software and security are growing markets and someone might pay up for the parts. The risk is that BlackBerry keeps being a company with a great brand and a business that never quite delivers. It is a bet on a fixer-upper, not a smooth-running machine.
Saved answer · last researched 4 Nov 2026