Android developer talks about his success on Playbook and high hopes for BB10

**playbookster** · 01-07-2013, 08:08 AM

The developer of Solar Explorer and Exoplanet Explorer talks about his success on Google Play vs Appworld and other platforms

2012: An app developer’s year in review | Apps @ Burlock.org

RIM seems to be a great partner for devs, this bodes very well for BB10

**Geeoff** · 01-07-2013, 05:32 PM

RIM has been trumpeting how successful their App store is, but reading it directly from a developer makes it much more real!

He said that his number of sales in the Blackberry Playbook App store (7,150) are approaching his sales in the Android App store (10,300). That's crazy!! I thought the Playbook was DOA?!?

**playbookster** · 01-07-2013, 05:39 PM

Originally Posted by Geeoff

RIM has been trumpeting how successful their App store is, but reading it directly from a developer makes it much more real!

He said that his number of sales in the Blackberry Playbook App store (7,150) are approaching his sales in the Android App store (10,300). That's crazy!! I thought the Playbook was DOA?!?

Android users expect everything for free.. Id rather pay 99 cents for an app than have it plastered with ads.

**Bold_until_Hybrid_Comes** · 01-07-2013, 07:22 PM

Android is just for people that don't want a blackberry or an iphone. Its the inevitable selection only due to process of elimination, in most cases due to not being able to afford an iphone.

**mikeo007** · 01-07-2013, 07:40 PM

The Android Play store is a tough game for sure. Freemiun seems to be the best way to turn a profit on Android.

**playbookster** · 01-07-2013, 11:04 PM

Originally Posted by mikeo007

The Android Play store is a tough game for sure. Freemiun seems to be the best way to turn a profit on Android.

In his article he mentions that freemium doesnt make a whole lot of money

**Dapper37** · 01-07-2013, 11:17 PM

FanBlackBerrytastic!!

**kill_9** · 01-08-2013, 12:06 AM

Are Solar Explorer and Exoplanet Explorer native BlackBerry PlayBook applications (apps) or do they use the BlackBerry Android Player? I have made the conscious decision not to use applications needing the BlackBerry Android Player.

**mikeo007** · 01-08-2013, 06:55 AM

Originally Posted by playbookster

In his article he mentions that freemium doesnt make a whole lot of money

Weird, some of the highest grossing games of this year were freemium.
I'll have to re-read the article I guess, but I didn't see any mention of freemium. Ad supported is not the same of course...

**Sith_Apprentice** · 01-08-2013, 07:07 AM

Originally Posted by BB9700CA

Are Solar Explorer and Exoplanet Explorer native BlackBerry PlayBook applications (apps) or do they use the BlackBerry Android Player? I have made the conscious decision not to use applications needing the BlackBerry Android Player.

This only hurts the platform as a whole. Getting devs to bring apps to the platform, regardless of source, helps tremendously. Going out of your way to entice devs to NOT bring their apps over... well that just shows lack of forethought. A dev who can port an android app to BB10/PB OS within an hour or two and then see the interest in this app, is more likely to bring other apps, perhaps even native, in the future. In short, instead of supporting the platform, your blind dislike of android can end up harming BB10.

**playbookster** · 01-08-2013, 07:39 AM

Originally Posted by BB9700CA

Are Solar Explorer and Exoplanet Explorer native BlackBerry PlayBook applications (apps) or do they use the BlackBerry Android Player? I have made the conscious decision not to use applications needing the BlackBerry Android Player.

Yes they are native PB apps. But honestly the new Android player works quite well so it doesnt even matter to me. Id rather have an android port than no app at all.

**sexybabe88** · 01-08-2013, 08:16 AM

Originally Posted by Sith_Apprentice

This only hurts the platform as a whole. Getting devs to bring apps to the platform, regardless of source, helps tremendously. Going out of your way to entice devs to NOT bring their apps over... well that just shows lack of forethought. A dev who can port an android app to BB10/PB OS within an hour or two and then see the interest in this app, is more likely to bring other apps, perhaps even native, in the future. In short, instead of supporting the platform, your blind dislike of android can end up harming BB10.

i am one who utterly dislikes the android player as well for some of the reasons that have been well documented over these forums.

i will not download an android port on my pb, much less pay for an android app and when it happens (because rim refuses to reveal which apps are of android nature) i get extremely pised off and i now rarely download new paid apps.

i feel that by supporting the android player, you are directly causing the demise of rim by hampering native development.

Sent from my BlackBerry 9900 using Tapatalk

**Sith_Apprentice** · 01-08-2013, 08:21 AM

Originally Posted by sexybabe88

i am one who utterly dislikes the android player as well for some of the reasons that have been well documented over these forums.

i will not download an android port on my pb, much less pay for an android app and when it happens (because rim refuses to reveal which apps are of android nature) i get extremely pised off and i now rarely download new paid apps.

i feel that by supporting the android player, you are directly causing the demise of rim by hampering native development.

Sent from my BlackBerry 9900 using Tapatalk

The entire purpose of the android player is to vastly increase the number of compatible apps for the device. The player works very well for *most* android apps, and those in app world have gone through the same kind of approval as native apps. will all apps work? no, and that is well documented, and some approved apps do have performance issues. Some native apps ALSO have performance issues. This fault cannot be squarely set on the android player, as the Devs also need to test their apps to make sure they perform appropriately. Getting apps onto the platform, getting devs involved in BB10/PB OS is the primary goal here, and the android player needs to be viewed as just ANOTHER avenue to do this, no different than HTML5 apps, or Air apps.

An android dev having success on BB10, writing about it, wether the app was an android app running in the player, or a native port brings attention to the platform. It gathers the interest of other devs, android, iOS, WP7/8, etc. THAT cannot be a bad thing.

**playbookster** · 01-08-2013, 08:22 AM

Originally Posted by sexybabe88

i am one who utterly dislikes the android player as well for some of the reasons that have been well documented over these forums.

i will not download an android port on my pb, much less pay for an android app and when it happens (because rim refuses to reveal which apps are of android nature) i get extremely pised off and i now rarely download new paid apps.

i feel that by supporting the android player, you are directly causing the demise of rim by hampering native development.

Sent from my BlackBerry 9900 using Tapatalk

I have 4 android apps on my PB. INC, Canabalt, Super Drill Panic and Kayak and they all perform pefectly well. When was the last time you tried one? The android player has been greatly improved.