BlackBerry CEO Betting on Comeback with First Android

Is BlackBerry (NASDAQ:BBRY) making a comeback? “I’m going to let the market tell me,” said BlackBerry CEO John Chen during an interview with the FOX Business Network’s Liz Claman.

On Friday, the company released its newest Android phone, the BlackBerry Priv, which is being hailed by some as the company’s Hail Mary.

“A Hail Mary is the wrong word. It’s been planned for a couple of years. I kept telling people, I’m never going to give up the so-called phone business. I love this device. And we have a range of products after this that are actually quite exciting.”

Despite once holding a dominant market share in the phone market, Chen believes the new device can rebuild the company’s presence in that sector.

“There’s every reason to believe that this phone will be successful. Successful meaning being receptive to the younger generation, the hipper generation… If this phone is successful, then we will be able to rebuild our phone business. I don’t know whether 71% is realistic, but it will be a lot higher than one,” he said.

He also discussed the new phone’s security.

“I think [the] promise [of] not being hacked is a little naïve… Never say never…. besides I’m on the air here [and if] I say that then I’m inviting… With our software, the enterprise server software, that manages all the devices, this phone [is] included. With this phone locked down, it will be much more difficult to hack,” he said.