NEW DELHI: BlackBerry is in advanced talks with India’s OptiemusBSE 9.96 % Infracom to license its software, services, and brand for producing smartphones for the local market, people aware of the development said. The two companies Monday signed a distribution and promotion pact, under which Optiemus will promote and distribute BlackBerry smartphones in India. “There has been a lot of back and forth on the agreement.
Both the parties are discussing various clauses, which is taking time,” a person aware of the talks said. In September, the Canadian enterprise software and handset company said it would completely stop designing its phones and instead license out the BlackBerry brand to other manufacturers. The deal for India, if goes through, will be the second such agreement globally for BlackBerry.
The company has already formed a joint venture — PT BB Merah Putih — to license its software and services for making handsets for the Indonesian market. BlackBerry is trying to regain a foothold in the fast-growing but highly competitive Indian smartphone market with the launch of two new Android-powered smartphones — DTEK50 and DTEK 60, priced at Rs 21,990 and Rs 46,990, respectively.
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Source: Economic Times
