隐藏在汽车方向盘背后的技术巨擘

    随着公司不断壮大，它的价值也水涨船高。2004年，音响设备及信息娱乐设备制造商哈曼国际集团（Harman International）收购了QNX，不到六年后又将其转卖给了RIM（Research in Motion，即现在的黑莓公司）。黑莓斥资2亿美元收购了它，试图让黑莓深陷困境的智能手机业务重振旗鼓。QNX并未透露具体营收情况，但2012年，“软件及其他收入”仅占黑莓185亿美元总收入的3%。当然，对黑莓来说，QNX从来没被当成是一棵摇钱树——它的价值主要体现在为公司最新款手机和平板电脑提供的黑莓10操作系统。上个月，黑莓以去年第四财季9,400万美元的利润让分析师大吃一惊。公司搭载黑莓10操作系统的全新Z10智能手机的出货量也达到了100万台。

    尽管初战告捷，但要说清QNX对黑莓智能手机和平板电脑的长期影响还为时尚早。目前，这个领域当然还是由搭载谷歌（Google）Android和苹果（Apple）iOS系统的手机把持，以致一度叱咤风云的黑莓如今只能是在夹缝中求生存。黑莓10今年1月才刚推出，而黑莓的最新手机黑莓Z10还没在美国上市。而在汽车业，尽管其他对手，如正与福特公司（Ford）合作的微软开发的Sync系统也确实发出了挑战，但QNX还是牢牢把控着市场。科斯洛夫斯基预计，其他主要对手如iOS和Android可能也并没有被拉开太大的差距。

    而眼下，QNX只管埋头致力于创新。它之前已经为消费者提供了更为精巧的地图技术，现在，QNX的工程师正将汽车仪表板技术推向未来。对此库恩不愿透露更多细节，只是调侃道：“我们现在为2017年车型开发的技术甚至让我们自己也大吃一惊。”太吊人胃口了。（财富中文网）

    译者：清远

    As the company evolved, so too did its value. In 2004, Harman International, a manufacturer of audio and infotainment equipment, purchased QNX, shopping it again less than six years later to mobile phone manufacturer Research in Motion (now BlackBerry). BlackBerry purchased the software company for $200 million in an attempt to recharge the brand's ailing smartphone lineup. QNX won't divulge revenues, but "software and other revenue" made up just 3% of the company's $18.5 billion in total revenues in fiscal 2012. Of course, QNX is not billed as a cash cow for the phone manufacturer -- its value lies in the BlackBerry 10 OS it provides for the company's latest phones and tablets. BlackBerry surprised analysts last month by posting profits of $94 million in the fourth quarter. The company also shipped one million new Z10 smartphones boasting the BlackBerry 10 OS.

Despite early success, it's too soon to tell what kind of long-term impact QNX will have on BlackBerry smartphone and tablet sales. The field is of course dominated by devices running Google (GOOG) Android and Apple (AAPL) iOS systems, leaving a once dominant BlackBerry device fighting for its life. BlackBerry 10 was only unveiled in January, and BlackBerry's newest phone, BlackBerry Z10, has yet to reach the U.S. market. On the auto front, QNX appears to have a much firmer grasp of the market, although other players, including Microsoft which is working with Ford (F) on its Sync system, are certain to offer a challenge. Other major operating systems like iOS and Android may not be far behind, predicts Koslowski.

    For now, QNX is simply looking to innovate. Some of the more sophisticated mapping technology is already available to consumers, and QNX engineers are planning out our dashboards years into the future. With specific details under wraps, Kuhn will only offer up a tease: "Some of what we are working on right now for the 2017 model year," he says, "is even blowing our minds." Just enough to lure you in.