BlackBerry on Tuesday said ithas purchased a minority stake in healthcare IT firm NantHealth.
The companies are working together to design a smartphone specifically for the healthcare market, which BlackBerry says has plenty of potential thanks to the need for security. The company said the device will be made available to anyone, but it will be optimized for viewing 3D images and CT scans.
The company’s expect the device to reach the market by the end of the year. “BlackBerry’s capabilities align closely with NantHealth’s,” said BlackBerry CEO John S. Chen. “This investment represents the type of forward-looking opportunities that are vital to our future.”