????2009年時(shí)，黑莓還是智能手機(jī)領(lǐng)域的王者。根據(jù)IDC的數(shù)據(jù)，這家加拿大公司在美國的市場占有率達(dá)到令人震驚的50%，其全球市場占有率最高也達(dá)到20.1%。

????然而自那時(shí)起，這兩項(xiàng)數(shù)據(jù)就開始持續(xù)下滑。上周初，互聯(lián)網(wǎng)統(tǒng)計(jì)公司comScore宣布黑莓在美國的市場占有率僅有1.5%，而其操作系統(tǒng)的全球占有率已經(jīng)不足以在國際數(shù)據(jù)公司的報(bào)告中獨(dú)占一欄了。

????另一方面，谷歌安卓移動操作系統(tǒng)的市場占有率卻在同期穩(wěn)步提升。同一份報(bào)告顯示，安卓以52.2%的市場占有率引領(lǐng)美國市場，全球市場占有率則高達(dá)78%。

????從表面上看，除了互為競爭對手之外，安卓和黑莓似乎沒有什么交集。不過上周四，路透社報(bào)道援引匿名消息源稱，黑莓正考慮推出一款搭載谷歌安卓系統(tǒng)，而不是它自己的黑莓10操作系統(tǒng)。

????后來接受《財(cái)富》采訪時(shí)，黑莓表示不會就謠言發(fā)表評論。一名黑莓的發(fā)言人通過電子郵件表示：“對于那些謠言和猜測，我們不予置評，但我們依舊致力于黑莓10操作系統(tǒng)。該系統(tǒng)在安全和效率上的優(yōu)勢無以倫比?！?/p>

????這并非黑莓與安卓的第一次交集。黑莓在2013年初推出黑莓10系統(tǒng)時(shí)，也兼容了安卓應(yīng)用。接納來自其他平臺的應(yīng)用，是為了充實(shí)黑莓的應(yīng)用列表，這正是公司迫切需要的。然而，由于兼容性問題，在黑莓10設(shè)備上使用安卓應(yīng)用的體驗(yàn)十分糟糕，這項(xiàng)措施最終未能激勵開發(fā)商支持該公司，也沒有讓黑莓獲得其亟需的用戶群。

????據(jù)稱，這款黑莓安卓混合型設(shè)備的外型類似于黑莓在3月的全球移動通訊大會上展示的觸屏滑蓋鍵盤手機(jī)。該產(chǎn)品將提供黑莓久經(jīng)考驗(yàn)的鍵盤手感，這是黑莓忠實(shí)用戶仍舊希望擁有的，同時(shí)還將擁有安卓用戶想要的觸屏體驗(yàn)。從這款設(shè)備的照片中的確看不出它有什么獨(dú)到之處，不過人們還是忍不住猜想它使用起來恐怕不太稱手。

????在3月的那場活動中，黑莓還順帶宣布，該公司計(jì)劃推出一套名為BlackBerry Experience Suite的核心應(yīng)用包，這進(jìn)一步表明公司已經(jīng)意識到自己需要吸引黑莓生態(tài)系統(tǒng)之外的用戶。

????黑莓或?qū)⑴c谷歌攜手開發(fā)新設(shè)備，這一新聞并不令人驚訝。我很早就聽說黑莓在開發(fā)一款應(yīng)用，它能將任何安卓智能手機(jī)上的應(yīng)用轉(zhuǎn)換成界面和體驗(yàn)更適合黑莓10設(shè)備的樣式。

????隨著公司著手推行這一理念，對操作系統(tǒng)層面，尤其是公司常年來引以為傲的安全特性缺乏控制力，可能會推動公司深入挖掘潛力，為自己的設(shè)備開發(fā)出新的操作系統(tǒng)。

????如果傳言被證實(shí)，該產(chǎn)品就能解決黑莓10設(shè)備缺乏應(yīng)用的問題，尤其是如果公司還決定引入Google Play Store的話。

????到了這個(gè)地步，黑莓已經(jīng)沒有什么可失去的了，采用一個(gè)被證明能夠吸引用戶的平臺，帶來的只有益處。將安卓的成功與黑莓在硬件制造上的長處結(jié)合起來，很有可能促成一次成功的聯(lián)姻。

????就像有句名言所說：“如果你打不過對手，那就加入他們的行列吧?！保ㄘ?cái)富中文網(wǎng)）

????譯者：嚴(yán)匡正

????審校：任文科

????In 2009, BlackBerry was king of the smartphone world. The Canadian company was sitting atop the smartphone market with a staggering 50 percent market share in the United States; peaking at a 20.1 percent global share, according to the International Data Corporation (IDC).

????Since then, both numbers have been steadily declining. Early last week comScore announced BlackBerry’s market share was a lowly 1.5 percent in the United States, with its global OS share no longer significant enough to warrant itsown column in IDC reports.

????Google’s mobile operating system, Android, on the other hand, has seen a steady increase in market share over the same time frame. It currently sits atop the U.S. market with 52.2 percent and 78 percent share globally, according to the same report.

????On the surface, beyond being competing platforms, it would seem Android and BlackBerry have very little to do with one another. But on Thursday, Reuters published a report citing anonymous sources who claim BlackBerry is considering launching a new device that runs Google’s Android software, instead of its own BlackBerry 10 operating system.

????BlackBerry later told Fortune that it wouldn’t discuss the rumors. “We don’t comment on rumors and speculation, but we remain committed to the BlackBerry 10 operating system, which provides security and productivity benefits that are unmatched,” a BlackBerry spokesperson said via email.

????The move wouldn’t be BlackBerry’s first brush with Android. When BlackBerry 10 launched in early 2013, it did so with the ability to run Android applications. Flirting with apps from another platform was an effort to boost the BlackBerry’s app catalog, which the company so desperately needs. However, the experience of using an Android app on a BlackBerry 10 device has been plagued by compatibility issues and ultimately failed to spur the developer support the company, and users, had so desperately hoped for.

????The BlackBerry-Android hybrid device is rumored to look similar to the touch-screen, slide-out keyboard device BlackBerry briefly revealed at Mobile World Congress in March. The device would offer the tried-and-true BlackBerry keyboard experience devoted users still crave, while simultaneously providing a touch-based experience Android users now expect. Granted this picture doesn’t do the device justice, although one can’t help but think it would be awkward to use regardless.

????Incidentally, at the same March event, BlackBerry also announced plans to release a suite of its core apps called the BlackBerry Experience Suite, further demonstrating the company’s realization it needs to look for users outside of its own ecosystem.

????News that BlackBerry may join forces with Google on a new device isn’t surprising. I’ve long heard whispers that BlackBerry was working on an application that would transform any Android smartphone into something that looks and feels more like BlackBerry 10.

????It’s possible as the company worked on the concept, the lack of control at the OS level—specifically pertaining to security features the company has long prided itself on—pushed the company to dive deeper and add a new operating system to its own devices instead.

????If the rumors are proved true, the device would resolve a problem regarding lack of applications for BlackBerry 10 devices, especially if the company decided to include the Google Play Store.

????At this point, there’s not much left for BlackBerry to lose, and everything to gain by adopting a platform that’s proven to attract users. Combine Android’s success with BlackBerry’s knack for making quality hardware, and it just might be the winning combination.

????As the saying goes, “if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.”