Struggling Blackberry announces new round of layoffs

BlackBerry is laying off an unspecified number of workers around the world as the struggling smartphone manufacturer tries to make its device business profitable.

The Canadian company, based in Waterloo, Ontario, said the cuts will impact those working on the software, hardware and applications side of the business.

"As the company moves into its next stage of the turnaround, our intention is to reallocate resources in ways that will best enable us to capitalize on growth opportunities while driving toward sustainable profitability across all facets of our business," BlackBerry said in a statement to AFP on Saturday.

A spokeswoman declined to provide additional information about the cuts.

The company currently employs about 7,000 people internationally.

BlackBerry, which only a decade ago was a titan in the smartphone business, has been forced into a major reorganization focusing more on software and services since being overtaken in the market for mobile devices.

An IDC survey showed BlackBerry managed to capture just 0.4 percent of global smartphone sales in 2014.

"One of our priorities is making our device business profitable," BlackBerry said.

"At the same time, we must grow software and licensing revenues. You will see in the coming months a significant ramping up in our customer-facing activities in sales and marketing."