Another Fact Check coming in after an article surrounding BlackBerry’s subsidiary QNX Software Systems which was posted on Seeking Alpha yesterday. BlackBerry struck a deal with Volkswagen, yes, but did BlackBerry also hand Volkswagen their QNX team? NO. FACT – QNX Software Systems along with members of that department remain a part of BlackBerry.
So, what happened and what does the deal between both companies entail? Basically, BlackBerry sold off their R&D department based in Bochum, Germany to Volkswagen Infotainment GmbH (also based in Germany). That particular R&D department was a department of 200 employees who focused on connecting different devices to one another including cars, in which we know QNX takes care of that now, which is based in Ottawa, Canada. Â BlackBerry sold that office space, including moving them 200 employees over to Volkswagen. No members of the QNX team have moved and QNX Software Systems remains a part of BlackBerry.
Not only does this work out well for Volkswagen (you know, the office space, the employees) this works out well for BlackBerry (avoiding giving the axe to 200 employees, saving money – that sort of thing) The Seeking Alpha article even so much went as far as posting a FUD press release stating the false information that was posted. Hilarious!
Source: INSIDE BlackBerry