Apple, Motorola and Samsung aren't the only companies with their sights set on wearables.
BlackBerry, the smartphone maker that always seems to be just a little late to the party, may also be close to stepping into the world of wearable tech, according to CEO John Chen.
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The Waterloo-based company is currently researching wearable platforms, including smartwatches and smart glasses, Chen told reporters at the Super Mobility Conference in Las Vegas.
"I would love to have... BBM on a wearable," Chen said, according to Computerworld. "It's definitely an area of research for us."
Upon hearing news of the remarks, several people tweeted their own renderings of what a BlackBerry smartwatch could look like.
EXCLUSIVE: First look at BlackBerry's new smartwatch. pic.twitter.com/rgR7nmguxZ— Patrick Avenell (@Patrickavenell) September 10, 2014
BlackBerry to release competing smart watch for those who "prefer a physical keyboard" pic.twitter.com/yY2YDxTxds— Sajid Mehmood (@smehmood) September 9, 2014
first views of new #Blackberry smart watch pic.twitter.com/KrV2ju72iW— Andy Wilkinson (@OWBCreative) September 11, 2014
While Chen's comments are far from definitive, the fact that BlackBerry is even considering entering the still nascent wearables market is an interesting move for the company. Long overshadowed by just about every other manufacturer -- including Samsung and Apple, which just introduced its own watch on Tuesday -- BlackBerry, once on top of the mobile market, has struggled to keep up with competitors and maintain profits.
But under the leadership of Chen, who began as CEO in November, the company has been attempting a comeback by doubling down on efforts to reach customers in emerging markets, appealing to those who want smartphones with physical keyboards and ramping up its app offerings through a partnership with Amazon.
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