CES 2015: BlackBerry announces Internet of Things initiatives at CES

Text and photos by Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

Las Vegas: BlackBerry didn't have a new smartphone to announce here at CES but they did lay down the foundation for new business platforms stemming from QNX used in connected cars as well as their Internet of Things technologies, focus on connected health care, possible expansion of BBM into Android wearables and the importance of their QNX connected car platform.

BlackBerry CEO John Chen discussed his first year leading the company. He recalled the four smartphones launched during his leadership as well as the growth of BBM (BlackBerry Messenger) which now has 140 million new users from the iOS and Android platform.

Also announced at the small gathering of journalists here was BlackBerry's Internet of Medical Things initiative which is potentially groundbreaking as it employs all of the company's key products in messaging, asset management, security and communication to connect and track a patient's health while maintaining contact with health care providers in realtime.

Demoed at the event was the NantHealth HBox, a portable medical device that captures and transmits secure medical data between the patient, doctor and hospital. To power the new mobile HBox, NantHealth selected technology from QNX Software Systems Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of BlackBerry.

"The BlackBerry IoT Platform blends the technologies that have enabled BlackBerry to become a leader in both the mobile data security and embedded systems industries," said Matt Hoffman, VP of Strategy and Marketing, BlackBerry Technology Solutions. "By combining the BlackBerry global network and device lifecycle management proficiency with the embedded software experience of QNX, we have built a modular, cloud-based platform that gives customers the chance to build IoT applications in a secure, efficient and scalable way. Looking ahead, we will extend the platform with other BlackBerry technologies to give developers additional control over the flow of information to devices on the network's edge."

The BlackBerry IoT modules provide rich functionality for data collection, including time-of-service and maintenance records, and device lifecycle management. The lifecycle management module comprises three main elements - over the air (OTA) software update, application enablement and log collection - designed to accelerate device deployment and extend the longevity of in-field devices. By leveraging the platform foundation and using these pre-built modules only as needed, an organization can efficiently create a customized IoT solution.

The BlackBerry IoT Platform is initially targeted at industries that manage highly mobile, high-value resources, including the shipping and automotive markets. The platform's asset tracking and connected car applications targeting those markets are just the first step in BlackBerry's broad and expanding IoT strategy. The BlackBerry IoT platform will also be extended into the smart energy sector and the healthcare field.

Could 2015 be the year where BlackBerry establishes auxilliary businesses that could prove more profitable and promising than the smarpthone market? Under John Chen, the company seems to understand how to play to its strengths and create new opportunities and even make surprising partnerships (they're collaborating with Samsung) in order to push the overall business forward.