On Friday morning, the news about BlackBerry's privatization thrilled the investors which resulted to an increase in the shares by 9% to US$10.08. However, by 11.15 am, BlackBerry's gains shrank to 4.6%. Analysts said that the challenge of valuing BlackBerry right now is enormous.
In the second quarter, the sales of BlackBerry's flagship devices, Q10 and Z10, were a major disappointment. Since the release of the smartphones, BlackBerry was able to sell only 2.7 million units worldwide. Furthermore, it reported that only 100,000 BlackBerry Playbook tablets were shipped. The Canadian smartphone maker has gone from being the dominant force in the global smartphone market with nearly 50% in 2009 to a fourth-placer with less than 3% market share, according to the figures released by International Data Corporation this week.
Analysts stated that valuing the corporation became difficult since it manifested a weakness in the high-end division. Nonetheless, it still has not launched a cheaper phone with the latest operating system. BlackBerry became entirely dependent on its sales in Africa, Middle East and South-East Asia. Analysts noted that launching a sub-US$330 BlackBerry smartphone would not guarantee an increase in sales. Conversely, it would show that the company is still capable of maintaining an application system and a new operating system on its own. The current portfolio of BlackBerry implies its struggles to turnaround but a budget device would provide the platform a chance in the emerging markets.
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