BlackBerry plans to lay off employees again

BlackBerry is going to lay off employees worldwide. It is not yet clear how many layoffs there will be. The reorganization should ensure that BlackBerry will focus less on smartphones and more on business applications.

Reuters news agency reports the layoffs based on a statement issued by BlackBerry. Jobs will disappear worldwide at the Canadian company, although it has not yet been announced exactly how many there will be. Offices in Sweden, where about 100 employees are stationed, are likely to be affected, as BlackBerry previously announced that it was considering closing its Swedish branches.

The reason for the layoffs is a reorganization of the company. The Canadian manufacturer wants to focus less on smartphones and more on business software, security and applications for ‘internet of things’. Incidentally, BlackBerry has been working on this for some time. CEO John Chen previously said he expected the smartphone arm of the company to return to profitability, but that this is not necessarily necessary for the company’s success.

BlackBerry indicated in a conversation with Business Insider that it still employs many engineers. Because fewer smartphones will be made, they are probably not all needed anymore and it is likely that they especially have to fear for their job.