Blackberry Eyes Diversification with Plans to Launch Phablet - Analyst Blog

John Chen, CEO of Canadian handset manufacturer BlackBerry Limited BBRY, has given an indication that BlackBerry may introduce a phablet in the near future. Chen hopes that Blackberry, as an early entrant, will be ready to capitalize on the phablet market which is still in its growth stage.   

Admitting that Blackberry has been already late in entering the tablet market, Chen noted that the company can root in success if it brings in fresh technology and necessary changes in its products.

Currently, the company is concentrating on new devices like the Z3 smartphone for customers to push demand for the company's smartphones. Last month, BlackBerry revealed the budget-friendly, full-touch Z3 smartphone in Jakarta.

BlackBerry is also planning to launch a new non-touch screen mobile phone – BlackBerry Classic – in partnership with Foxconn. BlackBerry was once a leader in the smartphone industry. However, its handset business deteriorated drastically over the last couple of years in the face of stiff competition from Apple Inc.'s AAPL iPhone and Google Inc.'s GOOG Android devices.

In April, BlackBerry revealed that it is now working with NantHealth to develop a smartphone that will cater to the needs of the healthcare sector. This special smartphone is expected to be launched by the end of this year or the beginning of 2015. This device will help doctors access immediate information about patients' health directly from observing equipment apart from sharing patient information with other medical professionals and consulting diagnostic and treatment resources in top global institutions.

BlackBerry currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Polycom, Inc. PLCM, with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), is a better-ranked stock worth considering in the wireless industry.