[keithhackneysmullet]

I am starting to believe from the cryptic statements from John Chen and blaze that the Zlider is going to be a full android Google play access phone. It will run the hub and BlackBerry services as a cross platform app. It's going to have samesung bloat ware like chat on and milk music pre-installed. We already know it's going to have a samesung screen and probably exynos processor. Don't ask me for sources. It's just a feeling I have and I want to prepare everyone so we all don't commit hara-kiri when BlackBerry joins the dark side.

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[kbz1960]

Bad title, you're just guessing.

[AnimalPak200]

It's been discussed many times in the forums.

Frankly, developing the hardware for the slider and then releasing it only for BB10, would a terrible waste. The Slider, if done nicely, might have a larger audience in the Android world than what most here imagine. Specifically because Android users are used to switching around brands and models, and seem open to trying 'new' things.

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[The Commander]

Hope this never happens that BlackBerry will go android. I vote against that.

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[serbanescu]

Zure thing!

[AmritD]

Don't think that will happen. But I sure am expecting google play services to run. It will still run BlackBerry 10OS. Don't ask for sources, I just feel so.

Q5SQR100-3/10.3.1.2243

[jacwib]

*cough cough* SECURITY *cough cough*

seems legit

Posted from q10, excuse me for not having any typos.

[Ecm]

Title tweaked, as there is no clear indication this will happen.

[MobileMadness002]

*cough cough* SECURITY *cough cough*

seems legit

Posted from q10, excuse me for not having any typos.

*cough cough* CONTAINERIZATION *cough cough*

seems legit

[CT_BBGuy]

Coming from Android to BB10, I hope that doesn't happen. Yes the ability to use google play services would be nice but I'm surviving just fine without it. I do wish BlackBerry could make some deals with some of the most popular apps to make native BB10 versions of their apps and keep them updated.

[keithhackneysmullet]

Thanks for fixing the title.



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[keithhackneysmullet]

Google doesn't allow access to the play store unless the device runs real android. I think BlackBerry wants the app gap to go away and this is the only way to do it. Android moves from emulation to the os and bb10 moves from the os to the skin. BlackBerry Hub, calendar, defender, and keyboard become apps just like bbm.

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[eldeestephens]

@thread

if blackberry abandons its OS and adopts android, they'll lose me as a customer. becoming just another mobe maker would be a disaster, and the idea that somehow porting its PIM services to another platform will generate enough replacement revenue is wishful thinking at best. at least IMO. i would be deeply disappointed if blackberry heads in this direction. i would think many others would as well.

-- eldee

[THBW]

*cough cough* SECURITY *cough cough*

seems legit

Posted from q10, excuse me for not having any typos.

Yes, one can only chuckle at the naivety of some when it comes to the concept of security. Greater compatibility with google apps or services? Possible, if it is put into the right sandbox and with permission settings for administrators.

[THBW]

Google doesn't allow access to the play store unless the device runs real android. I think BlackBerry wants the app gap to go away and this is the only way to do it. Android moves from emulation to the os and bb10 moves from the os to the skin. BlackBerry Hub, calendar, defender, and keyboard become apps just like bbm.

Posted via CB10

Keep dreaming. You can't secure Android and Google knows this perfectly well. If Blackberry is indeed pursuing Google Play Services, it's because Google knows they have to change and need access to BB10. The OHA is dying my friend, the Europeans and Chinese are seeing to that.

[FairlightRacing]

Google doesn't allow access to the play store unless the device runs real android. I think BlackBerry wants the app gap to go away and this is the only way to do it. Android moves from emulation to the os and bb10 moves from the os to the skin. BlackBerry Hub, calendar, defender, and keyboard become apps just like bbm.

Posted via CB10

Wrong. Google doesn't allow Play Access unless you load the device with ALL of their apps and services. I believe there is 20-something of them now. They also require access to the usage data from these applications which means good bye security and privacy.

I do not understand why everyone thinks BlackBerry is going to run Android. Do you think the executives are unaware of Sony (who is contemplating leaving the smartphone market), HTC (whose sales continue to slide), LG (same as HTC), and the coming of the razor-thin margin Chinese manufactures taking over the Android market? You really think that's where they want to go?

[spork141]

I had the sane thoughts as the original OP. Chen does say things that elude to fixing the app gap. Don't know what other fix there would be. That being said, I always assumed it would be forked android with the amazon store. At least it would mean the apps you could download would work fine



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[bp2k7]

Palm used to release two models of the same Treo devices. One running PalmOS and one running Windows. Maybe BB will do this with the slider. If they skin Android to look and feel like BB10, and if they are able to at least somewhat enhance the security, I'd have to seriously consider buying the Android version.

I don't work in a regulated market that requires the ultimate security, but I do want better security than the average consumer phone and I want the Hub and feel of BB10. I think there are a LOT of former BB users who fall into the "prosumer" category who would gladly switch back to BB if the phones offered Android with Google Play straight out of the box. No hacks, no workarounds, just the BB experience everyone loves without the app compromises. People really miss their BlackBerrys and their eyes light up when they hold my Passport, but the app situation is universally what's holding them back.

[joseph_labonte]

I wouldnt buy it. I doubt it will run android. Need my efficiciency

[early2bed]

Palm used to release two models of the same Treo devices. One running PalmOS and one running Windows. Maybe BB will do this with the slider..

And this is pretty much how Palm ended up going down the toilet. They ended up with no defined platform until webOS came along and, by that time, they had already lost the app race. I was a Palm OS developer at the time and got all of the emails that said "I got a new Treo but found out that it runs Windows Mobile so I can't use your software anymore."

[LuvULongTime]

OP, in Chen's interview on CNBC he said they are working on something "beyond amazon" for apps. If they want to make a Google phone then the BB10 android RT needs to go and thus amazon with it. So it wouldn't be "beyond amazon", it would be in place of amazon.

[kirson]

I had a very similar reaction when I heard Chen respond to questions over the past 2 days. He is being very cryptic, but he appears to be addressing the app gap. And he is working on something meaningful. And he wants to push everything towards the software solution side of things. Maybe we will see a secure Android fork, combined with some Blackberry service overlays (something more involved than a skin). I agree that this is pure speculation, but it makes all sorts of sense. Particularly if you could then monetize the service overlays and sell them to the Android fan base - maybe even with a tie-in to BES 12. It becomes a win-win-win. And the only party that "loses" is the Blackberry purist fan base.

[bp2k7]

And this is pretty much how Palm ended up going down the toilet. They ended up with no defined platform until webOS came along and, by that time, they had already lost the app race. I was a Palm OS developer at the time and got all of the emails that said "I got a new Treo but found out that it runs Windows Mobile so I can't use your software anymore."

Yeah I'm not saying it's necessarily a good idea, but it is one option I'm sure they've considered as a way to deal with BB10's lack of traction in the marketplace. But I can't help but notice that your comment saying "by that time, they had already lost the app race," could apply just as easily to BB in 2015.

[keithhackneysmullet]

Security doesn't sell. Apps sell. I don't like it anymore than you do but it's going to happen. BlackBerry will get run out of the enterprise market without Google services. BlackBerry doesn't care about the 0.1% of us that are still buying BlackBerry's. BlackBerry wants the millions of customers who had bolds and curves and moved on to android and ios.

If BlackBerry could put a enterprise twist on android it could be a game changer

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[FirstBerry101]

This is exactly what I have been telling my BlackBerry friends. I think that the next BlackBerry phone will be android. Well Maybe not next but it's coming. I agree by offering BlackBerry services on android, with android being secured by BlackBerry why not? It would solve the app problem.

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