BlackBerry Lost the Phone War. Now It's Betting on Cars and Robots

BlackBerry CEO John Giamatteo joins CNBC's Arjun Kharpal on The Tech Download podcast.
BlackBerry Lost the Phone War. Now It's Betting on Cars and Robots

BlackBerry, once a dominant phone manufacturer, has shifted its focus to critical software for cars and secure communications, leading to a doubling of its share price this year. The company’s QNX operating system is now embedded in 275 million vehicles, and CEO John Giamatteo believes it’s key to future growth in AI, especially in physical AI applications like industrial robotics. BlackBerry is already seeing substantial orders in the robotics sector, indicating a strong potential for this new business area.

  • BlackBerry’s share price has doubled this year, moving away from its past as a phone maker to focus on critical software.
  • The company’s two main revenue streams are secure communications for governments and QNX, an operating system for cars.
  • QNX is embedded in 275 million vehicles, powering features from braking systems to semi-autonomous driving.
  • CEO John Giamatteo sees significant future growth in AI, particularly ‘physical AI’ like robotics, leveraging QNX’s high safety standards.
  • Robotics is identified as one of BlackBerry’s fastest-growing businesses within the QNX portfolio, with a substantial backlog of orders.
  • BlackBerry’s reinvention is seen as remarkable, and investors are currently embracing its new direction.
    Continue reading https://www.cnbc.com/2026/08/28/blackberry-cars-robots-tech-download.html
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