[QuantumQnx]

So it is clear that BB10 is not off to the start that we all wanted to see. The 2 main platforms are now so dominant they have an almost insurmountable lead. Yet, the ace in the hole that BB has not really played is the ability to support Android apps. As we all know, most of those apps are locked away in the google play store and there is little chance that google would open that up for BlackBerry.

Amazon has proven that their forked version of Android can be successful despite avoiding the google play store. If BlackBerry and Amazon teamed up and opened up the Amazon android app store, BlackBerry could get access to thousands of high quality apps instantly and keep their secure OS. More importantly, it would give the platform more legitimacy immediately. As CrackBerry has reported, the #1 reason that BB10 is failing is the app gap. BlackBerry needs a big name partner and I think Amazon is their best bet. They need to make it happen - beg, borrow, steal - just make it happen!! Amazon would gain by having larger eco-system to support their services.

It is clear that Thorsten needs to bring down the app wall (read this) For BlackBerry to survive, leadership needs bold, decisive action. I believe a partnership with amazon could save them.

Thoughts?

[anon(5818411)]

that would be sweet. But a lot of people that have Blackberry's like it because it's the most secure phone out there. When you make the Android app store available to Blackberry they will be one of the phones on the list being the most insecure smartphone like all the other Androids.

You would completely take away Blackberry's niche market (government/business) and completely targeting a different audience along the lines of Samsung and Blackberry will not be able to compete with the other android phones.

[QuantumQnx]

that would be sweet. But a lot of people that have Blackberry's like it because it's the most secure phone out there. When you make the Android app store available to Blackberry they will be one of the phones on the list being the most insecure smartphone like all the other Androids.

You would completely take away Blackberry's niche market (government/business) and completely targeting a different audience along the lines of Samsung and Blackberry will not be able to compete with the other android phones.

Not sure if my original post was clear but what I meant is keep secure BB10 OS and Team up with Amazon to access their app store. This is not very different from their current highly secure implementation. There are several threads on BB creating their own version of android with a BB10 skin. It could have worked a couple of years ago but like you already stated they would lose their reputation for security.

[codehut]

I actually think Amazon would be a good partner for BB as well, but for slightly different reasons.

Don't forget that the Amazon app store isn't all that successful either with very few Android developers bothering to list their apps there. I'm honestly not even sure whether you could consider the offerings on the Amazon app store all that much better than the BB10 app store. That's in terms of 3rd party apps btw - in terms of what Amazon can offer with their own music, video, etc libraries that's where I think they could be a good match.

[Thunderbuck]

There's one massive problem with this proposal: Amazon doesn't sell s**t for digital content outside the United States and partnering with them would likely void BB's existing content agreements with 7digital (for music) and Rovi (for paid video content).

Yes, this would be good for BB in the US, and they need to be doing better, but it makes them much less attractive virtually everywhere else.

[BBVegasGirl80]

YES.

Sent from my sexy white hot Z10 in Sin City ;-)

[QuantumQnx]

There's one massive problem with this proposal: Amazon doesn't sell s**t for digital content outside the United States and partnering with them would likely void BB's existing content agreements with 7digital (for music) and Rovi (for paid video content).

Yes, this would be good for BB in the US, and they need to be doing better, but it makes them much less attractive virtually everywhere else.

That is a big problem but agreements can be renegotiated. For example, could use amazon for content in the USA only etc. The main idea is that with both BlackBerry and Amazon sharing an app store, you might get a critical mass, where developers don't want to miss out on easy revenue.

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[Thunderbuck]

That is a big problem but agreements can be renegotiated. For example, could use amazon for content in the USA only etc. The main idea is that with both BlackBerry and Amazon sharing an app store, you might get a critical mass, where developers don't want to miss out on easy revenue.

Posted via CB10

As big a problem as it is, I agree it isn't insurmountable.

I really admire what Amazon has done with its businesses. I'd love to see their content more widely available.



From the awesome PHYSICAL keyboard of my Q10

[CrackedBarry]

So you're suggesting Amazon open its store for Blackberries?

That would solve SOME of the app issue, but there would still be technical limitations as to what apps would be able to take advantage of that.

The bigger question however is: Why? Unless Blackberry shows up with a hefty bag of cash (And its a sellers market!) what would the incentive be, for Amazon?

Besides charity.

I just dont see it happening.

Amazons business model is so different from BBRY, that its hard to see the benefit for them.
And Amazon is so much bigger than BBRY, that whatever cash BBRY would pay for access to their app store would be pennies for Amazon.

Heck, Amazon probably makes more money selling toiletpaper in a couple of weeks, than they would make in a year selling apps to Blackberry phones.

[QuantumQnx]

So you're suggesting Amazon open its store for Blackberries?

That would solve SOME of the app issue, but there would still be technical limitations as to what apps would be able to take advantage of that.

No Amazon's store wouldn't solve all of their app issues but having access to an Android app store with 100,000 apps would essentially double the number of Apps that they have now. As for technical limitations, Amazon runs a forked version of android that is similar in many ways to the BB10 android runtime, especially since neither of them support google services. That is the only technical limitation that I can think of. Going from what I know, BB10 should be able to run all of the apps in the Amazon store out of the box. Maybe someone that is more knowledgeable on this can comment?

The bigger question however is: Why? Unless Blackberry shows up with a hefty bag of cash (And its a sellers market!) what would the incentive be, for Amazon?
Besides charity.
I just dont see it happening.
Amazons business model is so different from BBRY, that its hard to see the benefit for them.
And Amazon is so much bigger than BBRY, that whatever cash BBRY would pay for access to their app store would be pennies for Amazon.
Heck, Amazon probably makes more money selling toiletpaper in a couple of weeks, than they would make in a year selling apps to Blackberry phones.

Why would amazon let millions of supportive BB10 users into their store....hmmm...Maybe so they can sell more apps and make more money. It is a win-win why would they say no? As I previously stated, having more users on the platform/store will entice more developers, which means more apps, which could lead to more sales: positive feedback loop.

[CairnsRock]

No Amazon's store wouldn't solve all of their app issues but having access to an Android app store with 100,000 apps would essentially double the number of Apps that they have now. As for technical limitations, Amazon runs a forked version of android that is similar in many ways to the BB10 android runtime, especially since neither of them support google services. That is the only technical limitation that I can think of. Going from what I know, BB10 should be able to run all of the apps in the Amazon store out of the box. Maybe someone that is more knowledgeable on this can comment?



Why would amazon let millions of supportive BB10 users into their store....hmmm...Maybe so they can sell more apps and make more money. It is a win-win why would they say no? As I previously stated, having more users on the platform/store will entice more developers, which means more apps, which could lead to more sales: positive feedback loop.

That's a very weak premise for Amazon. There are relatively few millions of BB10 users, all of whom already have access to the Kindle store. Besos may do it because he is eccentric aka the Washington Post acquisition. Be nice for bbry, nice to dream about.

[QuantumQnx]

That's a very weak premise for Amazon. There are relatively few millions of BB10 users, all of whom already have access to the Kindle store. Besos may do it because he is eccentric aka the Washington Post acquisition. Be nice for bbry, nice to dream about.

It is nice to dream about. But who knows, maybe Bezos could buy BlackBerry ;-)

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