[W Hoa]

This is an interesting take on Blackberry regaining market share via superior hardware and HTML5. This is a small excerpt from a lengthy article.


"HTML5, a new programming language for designing Web-based software, could be the single most important catalyst in the erosion of Apple's dominance. Right now, developers normally build different versions of their apps for iOS and Android (and to a lesser extent, Windows Phone and BlackBerry operating systems). Each app plays by different rules. But HTML5 is largely platform-agnostic, meaning a single HTML5 app can run on just about any smartphone or tablet using that device's Web browser.

This has two significant implications for the software industry. The first is that Apple will have much less say in how those apps are allowed to behave, because the apps will no longer live inside an Apple-controlled walled garden. Second, devices will no longer be measured by how many apps they have, since HTML5 apps essentially exist on every device. That second implication – even though it probably won't happen for years, given Apple's and Google's lead in the app race – would allow RIM to stop competing on app quantity, where it lags far behind. Instead, the company could go back to pushing the qualities of its hardware, such as battery life, keyboards and security – areas where it still leads the market. If it levels the playing field on software, RIM can go back to competing on hardware."



Read more: CTV News | BlackBerry 10's open secret: It's aimed at the walled garden

[kbz1960]

Interesting but the others will also have excellent HTML compatibility I'm sure. So then it may come down to hardware and UI.

[Sith_Apprentice]

Interesting but the others will also have excellent HTML compatibility I'm sure. So then it may come down to hardware and UI.

I believe that is the point here. If everyone supports (roughly) the same thing, via HTML5, then the number of apps argument goes away completely.

[anthogag]

This is surely why RIM is working hard to have an excellent html5 browser

There are a lot of apps that could easily function in the browser

Developer updates would be much easier and they don't need dedicated teams for each platform

[OzarkaTexile]

This was Palm's strategy as well, but Palm was too early. Clearly, RIM is hoping for this and hedging their bets with native development (Cascades).

Can RIM survive long enough for this to become a reality?

[omniusovermind]

Interesting but the others will also have excellent HTML compatibility I'm sure. So then it may come down to hardware and UI.

This is how I wish the smartphone scene had been like since the beginning. Just hardware and UI defining the best devices, not apps. Now that would truly be an excellent state of affairs from a consumer point of view.

Personally I hope html5 apps arrive like a tsunami - fast and furious. The longer it takes for consumers to enjoy true cross-platform apps that aren't locked into device specific "app stores" the better it will be for us.

The only apps this might not affect are utility type apps but even now prior to BB10, the BB app world just a decent job of meeting those needs.

[OzarkaTexile]

This is how I wish the smartphone scene had been like since the beginning. Just hardware and UI defining the best devices, not apps. Now that would truly be an excellent state of affairs from a consumer point of view.

Personally I hope html5 apps arrive like a tsunami - fast and furious. The longer it takes for consumers to enjoy true cross-platform apps that aren't locked into device specific "app stores" the better it will be for us.

The only apps this might not affect are utility type apps but even now prior to BB10, the BB app world just a decent job of meeting those needs.

If it's just hardware and UI defining the best devices, Apple still wins.

[adrenaline_x]

If it's just hardware and UI defining the best devices, Apple still wins.

Disagree.

The phones are really nice looking, like most apple products. But the internals are lacking and are overpriced. IOS is getting very dated and will have to change to meet the future head on.. Maybe that is coming with the new Idevices, but we won't know till then.

The bold is On par with the iphone4 for design and feel. The torch (9810,9860) don't feel high end like the iphone or 9900.

Design is in the eye of the beholder and when someone releases a device that everyone loves the looks of it, the world will flock to it.. As we have seen with Apple, specs are secondary.

Ios has been a great platform but they are losing their buzz with consumers. The next iphone may change that but looking at the new ipad, it hasn't drawn in consumers like the previous versions.

I look at it this way. If you keep cars or luxury cars looking the same model year to model year, people will not upgrade to them. There is no way to differeniate them from the older used cars. And consumerizism is partially driven by vanity and having the latest and greatest stuff and showing it off. I don't see this changing anytime soon.

[husainpatan]

If it's just hardware and UI defining the best devices, Apple still wins.

Why? Why I ask u did u poke ur nose? what gives u?
I can't understand what kind of real life u people live. Don't u have any other thing than instigating a null conversation.

U probably know what BB10 is gonna be like. I bet u have seen the vdo before us and u were very damn impressed/scared; as rim had just ripped apart your propaganda, isn't it?

Please people like u leave CB.

[avt123]

Interesting but the others will also have excellent HTML compatibility I'm sure. So then it may come down to hardware and UI.

I agree. The other platforms already have excellent HTML5 support. It will be a hardware and UI battle.

[jechow]

Will this also mean that Android will become less fragmented? For example, the Boston Globe is written in HTML5 will reformat their sites to accommodate your screen size.

[greatwiseone]

The browser on the Tizen 1 developer device just beat RIM's BB10 browser in html5 test scores. Not unexpected when all apps on Tizen are built based on HTML5. RIM needs to keep working on improving the BB10 browser to be best in class in this area though.

[OzarkaTexile]

The phones are really nice looking, like most apple products. But the internals are lacking and are overpriced. IOS is getting very dated and will have to change to meet the future head on.. Maybe that is coming with the new Idevices, but we won't know till then.

Ios has been a great platform but they are losing their buzz with consumers. The next iphone may change that but looking at the new ipad, it hasn't drawn in consumers like the previous versions.

The new iPad is selling faster than either of the two versions before it, and faster than any other tablet on the market.

I agree with you that Apple doesn't always compete on specs. It's easy to find Android phones with more processing power. But for design and quality, they still win.

[omniusovermind]

Will this also mean that Android will become less fragmented? For example, the Boston Globe is written in HTML5 will reformat their sites to accommodate your screen size.

I think html5 apps will benefit everyone but moreso those platforms with smaller app stores

[OzarkaTexile]

Why? Why I ask u did u poke ur nose? what gives u?
I can't understand what kind of real life u people live. Don't u have any other thing than instigating a null conversation.

U probably know what BB10 is gonna be like. I bet u have seen the vdo before us and u were very damn impressed/scared; as rim had just ripped apart your propaganda, isn't it?

Please people like u leave CB.

I wasn't talking about the state of BB10. I obviously don't know what BB10 will look like when it's released or what kind of hardware it will run on.

I was just stating my opinion that in today's smart phone market (Android, MS / Nokia, RIM, and Apple), that Apple has the best combination of hardware and UI. So if we remove application ecosystem from the hypothetical market, Apple still wins.

[Thunderbuck]

There's a very good argument to be made, though, that Blackberry's approach is much more open than Apple's. Even Larry Page was complaining a couple of weeks ago that between Apple and Facebook, freedom on the Internet was doomed.

At least RIM is going with content rating (and, from the looks of things I've been seeing, parental controls) instead of banning large swathes of content outright.

[Blackberry_boffin]

This was Palm's strategy as well, but Palm was too early. Clearly, RIM is hoping for this and hedging their bets with native development (Cascades).

Can RIM survive long enough for this to become a reality?

The assumption here is RIM is dying?

[jedibeeftrix]

This was Palm's strategy as well, but Palm was too early. Clearly, RIM is hoping for this and hedging their bets with native development (Cascades).

Can RIM survive long enough for this to become a reality?

true, but BBOS10 also has the advantage of providing Qt as a development platform.