[NewsPoster]

BlackBerry has attempted to bolster its enterprise services, by acquiring a competitor in the mobile security business. Good Technology is being bought by the mobile phone producer for $425 million in cash, with the purchase expected to help Blackberry shore up its own enterprise messaging and security platform by using Good's knowledge of iOS, Windows, and Android management and applications security.

In a blog post, BlackBerry Chief Operations Officer Marty Beard claims the purchase of Good will help it create "the most comprehensive secure mobility platform in the market." Highlighting Good's multi-OS strength, Beard notes it has already built a "strong ecosystem" of more than 2,000 independent software vendor and customer-developed applications.

While BlackBerry's main enterprise utility comes from its BBM and Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) solutions, it's main focus is on its own devices, though it has branched out to other platforms for some of its products. Good mostly focuses on the other major software platforms, with 64 percent of all its service activations stemming from iOS devices. BlackBerry will have ownership of the Good Collaboration Suite, which includes secured calendar, messaging, and document sharing functions for business customers, something it could potentially use to enhance its existing services.

Good CEO Christy Wyatt suggests the enterprise products created by the two companies are highly complementary, covering BlackBerry 10, iOS, and both Samsung Knox and Android for Work devices. Wyatt also suggests this partnership could also help BlackBerry with its Internet of Things plans, as well as support for wearable devices including the Apple Watch and items using Android Wear. These new product categories are becoming more prominent and need to be managed as more connect to corporate networks, claims Wyatt.

Acquiring Good may be a good strategy for BlackBerry to adopt, considering its troubled finances and ongoing restructuring. Despite paying out $425 million for the company, BlackBerry believes the acquisition to help its earnings and cash flow within the first year after closing the deal, with approximately $160 million in GAAP revenue expected from Good in the first year.

[prl99]

I see this as Blackberry buying out a competitor and Good Technology selling out its customers. Blackberry needs something to be relevant in the enterprise marketplace (again) and Good Technology has a major portion of the enterprise and government MDM market. I don't think it will take a long time for Blackberry to get rid of the Good name and fold their product line into its own. Christy Wyatt is going to make a bundle and in all likelihood won't be with the company after the obvious restructuring. Another good product line being absorbed by a failing company that somehow came up with some money, only to see the entire company continue to fail.

[ibook_steve]

"Another good product line"? Have you used Good? It's one of the worst apps I've ever used, and I'm forced to used it for my job. I do hope that Blackberry kills it, though, so I never have to use it again.

[prl99]

@ibook_steve I haven't used it personally but it was being installed before I retired. It's also approved for use by government agencies complete with DISA approval. You might not like it but it's an MDM system that seems to work for others. So was the Blackberry system, especially for classified use on government systems. Luckily I never was required to use one of their phones. When I went home I left work at work.

[unicast reversepath]

Blackberry is like a zombie - it does not realize it is DEAD.

[quebit]

@ibook_steve ..... I agree; it's a garbage product. They just happen to have built themselves a monopoly and gotten away with it. I kinda wish that it gets killed too. All they've done is replace Blackberry with a mediocre product.