BlackBerry has reported results for the final quarter of its financial year, which ended on 2nd March 2013.
Revenue for Q4 was down 36% year-on-year to $2.7 billion (£1.8 billion), although quarterly income reached $98 million; a dramatic change from the $125 million loss announced for Q4 2012.
During the quarter, around 6 million BlackBerry smartphones were shipped along with approximately 370,000 PlayBook tablets. That compares with over 11 million smartphones and 500,000 BlackBerry PlayBook tablets in the fourth quarter of the previous financial year. Around 1 million new BlackBerry 10 devices were sold in the quarter, which ended before US sales started last week.
Overall, around 76 million people currently use a BlackBerry device; a 3 million drop from the end of the previous quarter.
Thorsten Heins, President and CEO of BlackBerry, said “We have implemented numerous changes at BlackBerry over the past year and those changes have resulted in the Company returning to profitability in the fourth quarter. With the launch of BlackBerry 10, we have introduced the newest and what we believe to be the most innovative mobile computing platform in the market today. Customers love the device and the user experience, and our teams and partners are now focused on getting those devices into the hands of BlackBerry consumer and enterprise customers.”
As well as announcing its financial results, BlackBerry said that co-founder and former co-CEO Mike Lazaridis would be leaving the company in May.