The Globe and Mail reports in its Thursday edition that BlackBerry plans to split itself in two by spinning its connected-car software business into a separate public company in an attempt to revive investor interest in the one-time smart-phone leader. The Globe's Sean Silcoff writes that BlackBerry said splitting into two separate public companies would give shareholders a chance to "more clearly evaluate" the performance and potential of each on a separate basis and pursue separate strategic paths. It plans to spin out the connected car, or Internet of Things, business in the first half of its next fiscal year, which begins March 1. The company said its strategic review was not finished, which means it could sell off some or all of the remaining parts of its business. This fall, chief executive officer John Chen comes to the end of a five-year contract and the company faces repayment of $365-million (U.S.) in debentures. BlackBerry under Mr. Chen has become a hodgepodge of different businesses mostly picked up through acquisitions. The cybersecurity business has been a disappointment, delivering far less growth than expected. BlackBerry is a leader in the device management business, but it is a crowded sector.