[lnichols]

So I was reading this Forbes article posted in an Interview with a long time RIMM analysts and the following answer to the first question not only sums up the WP8 issue nicely, but the bolded part raised my eyebrow.

I think there are 3 things that RIM has as advantages over Microsoft-Nokia: 1) Installed Base: there are 80M Blackberry users globally and there are indications that up to 70% of them plan to upgrade to BB 10. There are very few users of Microsoft’s OS out there and even though there are a lot of Nokia handsets on the old Symbian platform, the issue is that if you buy a new Nokia device that runs the Microsoft OS you will have to re-purchase all of your apps. Whereas if you are a BlackBerry 7 user and you buy a BlackBerry 10 device, all of your apps come with you. 2) Carrier Support: The carriers want another vibrant ecosystem and I think they are impartial to either BlackBerry or Microsoft. However, what we are hearing is that Microsoft is a difficult partner to work with and the Microsoft-Nokia alliance is not as strong as they had hoped — no one single point of contact. Whereas working with RIM is easier, the feedback is that they better understand the carriers’ business, and because RIM controls both the hardware and software there is only one single point of contact. 3)Enterprise: even though RIM is losing some share in the enterprise it still has by far the biggest installed base. We believe the launch of BlackBerry Fusion and the new devices will cause many enterprises to upgrade and re-think using alternative platforms.

Full Article is here What The Bears Are Missing About Research In Motion - Forbes

Now I know that not every BBOS app will be available for BB10, but when we sign on with our BBID on a BB10 device, does this mean that any app that we bought for BBOS that is available will be ours on BB10? Or is this a case of another clueless analyst?

I think the only app I've ever paid for BeWeather, and I don't want their Android port and hopefully they are making a BB10 native app, but now I wonder if I get BeWeather for BB10 when I setup my BB10 device with my BBID.

[raino]

Where's the ######### news tip button when you need it

What's interesting to me is that the analyst didn't drop this as a standalone piece of information. He chose to link it with a comparison to the way it is on WP8. That kinda makes me question my first impression of "pffft...clueless analyst", because it makes me think that if he did the work in researching app portability in Nokias, he must have done so for BBs too.

Personally though, if this is true, I hope we don't have some devs taking "the easy way out" by just porting their OS7 apps over and calling it their BB10 offering. The OS will be more capable, use it!

[howarmat]

I am guessing he mispoke about something. I mean you can buy "blackjack" OS 7 version and they release "blackjack" OS 10 version i guess they could give it to you for free BUT RIM would have to pay the devs for it still. I do not want a OS 7 emulator or anything like that. they need pure OS 10 apps and with cascades and such.

[raino]

I am guessing he mispoke about something. I mean you can buy "blackjack" OS 7 version and they release "blackjack" OS 10 version i guess they could give it to you for free BUT RIM would have to pay the devs for it still.

But the word "all" is throwing me off. How could he make a blanket statement for all apps without knowing if all OS7 devs are developing for BB10?

[timmy t]

Clueless. Assumptions being made, I assume

[shemaree09]

I do not want a OS 7 emulator or anything like that. they need pure OS 10 apps and with cascades and such.

But it if works, whats wrong with that?

[NFLPLAYBOOK]

RIM is rewriting all of its core apps to work with BB10. The other apps that are available on BB7 will not work on BB10 unless they are rewritten. RIM is also tweeking the PlayBook apps that need to be refined to work with BB10. Almost all of them will be available with the launch.

[belfastdispatcher]

RIM is rewriting all of its core apps to work with BB10. The other apps that are available on BB7 will not work on BB10 unless they are rewritten. RIM is also tweeking the PlayBook apps that need to be refined to work with BB10. Almost all of them will be available with the launch.

I've bought appps either on my 9900 or my PlayBook and the apps have become available on the other.

Example: I bought Fruit Slash and Fall Pro on my PB and they became available on my 9900. I bought Photo Studio Pro on my 9900 and it became available on my PB.

[cgk]

Where does that 70% figure come from?
Sent from my Lumia 800 using Board Express

[lnichols]

Where does that 70% figure come from?
Sent from my Lumia 800 using Board Express

If you read the entire article the answer to another question is

I have seen surveys that suggest 70% will upgrade.

[notfanboy]

I have seen surveys that suggest 70% will upgrade.

DId they survey Africa? Southeast Asia? How affordable of a BB10 model can RIM come up with?

If the survey was in North America, I could believe it. Die-hards are obviously more likely to upgrade.

[Xopher]

I believe core apps (built by RIM) will have BB10 counterparts. The will probably be a Twitter, Facebook, Traffic/Maps, BBM, and so on. Those are being rewritten for BB10.

As far as third party software, it's up to the developer. PlayBook apps might transfer over easier, so a developer might make a BB10 version that works on both PlayBook and phones. I've already tested the game I developed and it works on both. Once it is in your BlackBerry World account, it can be installed on any device running QNX based OS.

It's a lot different for BBOS-to-BB10. They are different operating systems, so the developer has to create two different versions. If they bundle them together in BlackBerry World, then it should be as simple as logging in and reinstalling. I have an app I'm converting from BBOS to BB10 and I plan on making it so that BB5/6/7 users will just have to log into BlackBerry World to get the BB10 version.

One of the interesting things on the vendor side is that a developer can charge for an upgrade. It is possible that some apps might charge to upgrade from BBOS to BB10. Again, it's all up to the developer.

As far as the article goes, I would tend to think they are speaking about core apps developed by RIM.