BlackBerry expanding software products for Apple iOS, Google Android

BlackBerry is transitioning focus from smartphone hardware more towards software, building business partnerships with Apple and Google. The struggling manufacturer wants to develop business applications able to run on iOS and Android smartphones and tablets. It's not a surprise BlackBerry wants to create enterprise products for other platforms, after its hardware efforts slid over the past few years.

"I have a lot of software assets that are really good," said BlackBerry CEO John Chen, when speaking with Bloomberg. "We're going to build a business on putting it on other peoples' devices. As our market share in hardware is shrinking, I think there's a much bigger opportunity to make our software and package it correctly to be available on cross platforms."

Since becoming CEO in November 2013, Chen has looked for strategies to expand BlackBerry's product offerings. The company's smartphone market share has dropped below 1 percent, as Apple, Samsung, and other manufacturers fight for control.