BlackBerry QNX Royalty Backlog Tops $1.2 Billion After Record Deal
BlackBerry said QNX’s future royalty backlog exceeded $1.2 billion, up from about $950 million at fiscal 2026 year-end. Its largest contract win, valued at more than $100 million in estimated future royalties, contributed to the increase.
BlackBerry Ltd. said QNX’s future royalty backlog has surpassed $1.2 billion, and its shares were climbing Tuesday. QNX secured the largest contract win in its history. The customer is the first to select Alloy Kore, QNX’s foundational automotive operating system.
The agreement carries more than $100 million in estimated future royalties. BlackBerry said the win provides Alloy Kore with commercial backing and could expand QNX’s role across vehicles, increasing the royalty potential of each program. The deal helped lift QNX’s royalty backlog to a record above $1.2 billion. The backlog was near $950 million at the end of fiscal 2026, meaning it has increased by more than $250 million, or more than 26%, over the past two quarters.
CEO John Giamatteo said the figures demonstrate that BlackBerry’s strategy is working. Growing adoption of the QNX Software Development Platform 8.0 also contributed to the increase. Automakers are consolidating vehicle functions onto fewer, more powerful computers, and QNX software can run several domains and Instances in a vehicle could increase from one to multiple units, potentially allowing it to run more QNX software and generate additional royalties. Major automakers and leading suppliers worldwide are already testing the platform and developing products on it.
QNX expands beyond automotive customers. Companies in robotics, industrial automation and medical devices also contributed to the total, in markets BlackBerry categorizes as general embedded and Physical AI systems. QNX President John Wall said the company is bringing its software to these sectors, where safety, security and reliability are essential. BlackBerry said strategic relationships with leading silicon providers have strengthened its position.
BlackBerry shares were up 6.74% at $8.71 when the article was published Tuesday, according to Pro. Also: Chevron and ExxonMobil shares hit 52-week highs as fresh US-Israel threats against Iran push Brent crude to 5-month highs.