Last week, we heard about cybersecurity stock BlackBerry’s (TSE:BB) plans to relaunch its QNX brand, and make it about a whole lot more than just vehicles. Now, we have reports that QNX is already getting fired up in earnest, with a new plan to work with Microsoft (MSFT). That sent BlackBerry shares surging up nearly 8% in Monday morning’s trading.
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The new plan calls for QNX to be made available through Microsoft Azure, a move which will give developers access to more tools for building and testing vehicle software in cloud-based environments. Since QNX has also recently expanded to include Internet of Things (IoT) applications, that will also give a boost to development on that front as well.
But vehicles are clearly front-and-center here, as explained by head of product, engineering and services at QNX John Wall. Wall noted “Together with Microsoft, we are looking at innovative ways to bring Microsoft Azure AI in to support cutting-edge technology early in the development cycle. This approach accelerates development timelines and minimizes risks, allowing automakers to leverage the scale and development velocity inherent to the cloud. Together, we’re paving the way for the next generation of connected and autonomous vehicles.”
QNX Everywhere Gets a Boost Too
While adding QNX to Microsoft Azure will certainly be a good move, QNX is also ramping up access to developers in other ways. The QNX Everywhere initiative also got a significant expansion, with its foundational software now available for “non-commercial use” freely. This will make QNX part of training and educational opportunities in a wide range of places and use cases.
Thanks to the recent expansion of QNX itself, now, QNX will be a part of education in everything from industrial and medical applications to robotics, and, of course, vehicles. Added to the lineup will be new tutorial content led by engineers, a quick start prebuilt target image for Raspberry Pi 4 systems, and perpetual development licenses for non-commercial applications.
Is BlackBerry a Good Stock to Buy?
Turning to Wall Street, analysts have a Hold consensus rating on TSE:BB stock based on one Buy and three Holds assigned in the past three months, as indicated by the graphic below. After a 33.87% rally in its share price over the past year, the average TSE:BB price target of C$4.77 per share implies 17.4% downside risk.
