[muindor]

Hello CrackBerry Community,

I am new here, currently having an iPhone, but that's about to change soon!!
I decided to switch from an iPhone 4S to the wonderful Blackberry Z30. I've had it in my hands in a Store a couple of times and didn't want to let it go again. It's the phone made for me, it just fits!
Blackberry for me became the best thing I've ever experienced as a Phone.

But before I start to become a Blackberry user (I am waiting for my contract to expire in April) I have a few questions where i couldn't find an answer for yet. So I'm here in the hope you can help me here.

With the new OS 10.2.1 you can install Android apps.

My question is:
Are there any security risks to expect when I install Android Apps? Will my Data be still as safe?
Is there a chance of catching a Virus?

Also:
I read that some users complained about an increase of battery drain after installing Android apps. Is that true?

I hope you can help me with my questions. Thank you already!!

[Ben1232]

Hello muindor,

You can load android apps from just the phone. I have a few and my battery life seems about the same. I only use one android app often though which is Spotify.

I believe android apps on BlackBerry10 are Sand Boxed..whatever that means. I think it means they're sectioned off from the important bits lool.

Posted from my Z30 via CB10 app

[Alberta Blue]

Battery drain depends on the app. Processor and graphics intensive apps tend to suck juice.

For example, Clash of Clans and Candy Crush drain my battery at about 20% per hour.

In terms of security risk, it is app dependent too. There are some security precautions in place, but apps can still access your contacts, location etc. I recommend downloading from a trustworthy source and keeping a close eye on permissions requested.


Posted from my Z30 via CB10.

[SmileDahling]

Hello CrackBerry Community,

I am new here, currently having an iPhone, but that's about to change soon!!
I decided to switch from an iPhone 4S to the wonderful Blackberry Z30. I've had it in my hands in a Store a couple of times and didn't want to let it go again. It's the phone made for me, it just fits!
Blackberry for me became the best thing I've ever experienced as a Phone.

But before I start to become a Blackberry user (I am waiting for my contract to expire in April) I have a few questions where i couldn't find an answer for yet. So I'm here in the hope you can help me here.

With the new OS 10.2.1 you can install Android apps.

My question is:
Are there any security risks to expect when I install Android Apps? Will my Data be still as safe?
Is there a chance of catching a Virus?

Also:
I read that some users complained about an increase of battery drain after installing Android apps. Is that true?

I hope you can help me with my questions. Thank you already!!

Hi! I came from an iPhone 4S to the BlackBerry world as well and never looked back. :-)

As for security with android apps, they are sandboxed. It is similar to running a virtual machine so that the android app doesn't actually access your phone. That being said you can't pick and choose your permission settings the same as you can with native apps. I try to avoid android apps that require access to everything on my phone unless they have a reason for needing it. If it's a game they shouldn't need access to all my shared files, get it?

Battery life is wonderful on the Z30. Android apps shouldn't adversely effect your battery life unless your running multiple android apps all the time. Even then, I didn't notice a massive drain. Probably depends on specific apps like any phone (games and maps are battery drains across all platforms).

Good luck!

Posted via my amazing Q10

[Ben1232]

I recommend downloading from a trustworthy source and keeping a close eye on permissions requested.


Posted from my Z30 via CB10.

Don't all android apps require all permissions to be accepted for the app to work.

Posted from my Z30 via CB10 app

[Alberta Blue]

Ya, they do, but as explained above don't use apps that request stuff they should not need. I.e. A game should not need to access your contacts etc

Posted from my Z30 via CB10.

[SmileDahling]

Don't all android apps require all permissions to be accepted for the app to work.

Posted from my Z30 via CB10 app

Yes. That's why I deleted Temple Run. I couldn't justify having a game on my phone that would have access to every single file on my phone for no reason and since you can't pick and choose permissions you have to install judiciously.

OP, here's a few screenshots you might find interesting:



Posted via my amazing Q10

[muindor]

First of all: Thank you for the answers so far! I see your points.
But although the apps are "sandboxed" they can have actual access do data on the device?

Secondly: It's nice to see another one coming from iPhone to BlackBerry! In my opinion more and more people should think about going to BlackBerry.

I'm definitely not the gamer on a phone, maybe Solitaire but that's it. I live in Germany and my Girlfriend in England so what im using a lot at the minute is Whatsapp. I'll get Threema though to be more on the secure side and have my privacy back!

So another question I have is:

Seeing the worst Battery a phone can have (iPhone) is even more draining whilst using whatsapp, is it the same with Blackberry? (especially on the Z30?)

Also I'm wondering if you ever would need an Antivirus on BlackBerrys?

And a very important thing i would love to know which just came into my head:
Could anyone explain the "Leak OS" to me? I don't understand how it works and what it is. In details: Are the "Leaks" official updates from Blackberry which aren't available from certain carriers?
Because I've seen the latest update from T-Mobile Germany is 10.2.1. Bute here I've seen an OS 10.2.1.2142.

Thank you in advance!

[Richard Buckley]

Your confusion about sandboxing is why I don't like the term, especially in the context of Android on BB10. You can read my opinion here: http://forums.crackberry.com/blackbe...e-else-905378/

That said some threats present in the Android world are mitigated by running the application on a BB10 device. The main one is that it is extremely unlikely that any Android application could ever get privilege escalation to root on a BB10 phone. The underlying kernel that the software is running on is completely different and would require different malicious software to exploit any weaknesses that may be present. It is also very unlikely that an Android application could monitor keystrokes being entered into a BB10 native application because on BB10 only the active application is sent user interface events. It may be possible, though I have not seen anything specific to this, that one Android application could monitor keystrokes sent to another Android application.

However the matter is different concerning user data. If an application is given permission to access user data, either contacts, files, identifying information, then it can access that data. A game may need access to files in order to save game states on the SDCard instead of on the phone. But once given that permission it would have access to your documents, pictures, and everything else.

Ported Android applications that are available from BlackBerry World have been scanned by F-Secure and BlackBerry Guardian to detect actions that may compromise user security or privacy. BlackBerry has recently increased the level to which it expects application developers to rise in protecting user data: Apps, Privacy and Your Data: BlackBerry Releases Privacy Guidance for Third-Party App Developers | Inside BlackBerry for Business Blog

So finally, I believe that running an Android application from BlackBerry World is every bit as safe as running a native application from BB World. If you are getting Android applications from other sources, then you need to be aware of what steps those sources are taking, if any, to detect and exclude malicious programs. Or you can run a good virus scanner.

[muindor]

Thank you for this detailed Answer.
Everything is clear so far, although two unanswered question is still there:

How does is work with the Leaked OS? What is it and is it officially released OS?
Now I've read that the latest release (Germany T-Mobile) is 10.2.1.2102 but from this Forum i can Download an Autoloader for 10.2.1.2141. I need to admit I am a bit confused.

Also: Is the Battery draining more with using Android Apps?

[guygardner73]

I think the latest leak matches the latest official release at the moment across Europe and the UK and Canada. A leak is simply an OS that hasn't been officially released yet but may be soon. Leaks may contain more bugs and omissions than an official release. in my opinion the current official negates the need for a leak (at present).

Instead of WhatsApp, try BBM. It's better in a number of ways, but WhatsApp is available as a native app in BlackBerry World. I just use a mix of messaging apps, depending on the user at the other end.

If you manage to deplete the battery in a Z30 inside 16 hours whatever you're doing, then you've just chucked it in a bucket of water and have bigger problems than a dead battery.

Z10STL100-2/10.2.1.2141 O2 UK

[muindor]

I see, now thats clear. So its better to just wait for the carrier to roll out the latest update instead of installing a leak?

OMG, i wish my current iPhone would last 16 hours standby!! I'm charging it twice a day and i start to hate this phone.

I've heard the Z30 has good Battery but 16 hours will be amazing and im really looking forward to having this phone. Last journey to my girlfriend in the UK
with Airplane mode on for 3 Hours the phone had 1% left after pulling it off the charger only 9 before and I was happy to finally stick it into the charger again so I could finally make a call!! I Know thats off topic but I wanted to say that. I can't wait for having the Z30. I've had it in my hands again yesterday and its truly the best phone I had in my hands.

[joeldf]

There are several things to learn about the BlackBerry OS that can be confusing at first.

First of all - OS version numbers. As far as I know, BlackBerry is the only mobile OS maker that uses several numbers to refer to the very same OS. The two numbers you used are in fact the same OS. Here on these forums, we generally go by the OS version. The latest (at the time of this post) being 10.2.1.2141. The carriers use the associated "software release" that goes with the OS, and in this same OS is 10.2.1.2102.

Thoroughly confused yet?

It doesn't help that the first page of the "About" screen only shows the "software release" number. You have to go to the drop down list, pick "OS", then you see the "OS Version" number we use, among other info.

"Leaked" OSs are builds from BlackBerry that get tested inside the walls of BlackBerry and that tester risks their job to take it outside those walls and posts it out where we can try it too (or gives it to another third party who then posts it). All OS files are signed by BlackBerry, so there is no risk of getting a bogus OS - the phone and loader would just balk and not load it. You can mix individual OS files to some degree, but they can't be decompiled and messed with and still load.

When these get leaked, they usually come as full autoloaders that wipe the phone and load the OS as if from scratch. It's why you have to have a backup of what you want to keep, unless you want to re-setup everything from the beginning. This is different from an OTA update from a carrier that installs only the new files, but doesn't mess with existing info on the phone. It's the difference between what we call destructive (autoloader) versus non-destructive (carrier OTA) OS loading.

Then, there is the Sachesi method. You will see it talked about in the beta/leak forum section. That is a program you can use to download available OS files by carrier (you plug in the carrier info of your choice - any carrier in the world), and then install directly to your phone as if it's a non-destructive carrier OTA update. I used it to update my AT&T Z10 (they are still on 10.1 officially), and it worked great.

Using Sachesi gets you someone's official OS. Even if your carrier isn't offering it. So, technically, it is still an official OS.

The only differences in the OS from different carriers using the same OS build will simply be whatever carrier pushed apps they may want to add. The actual OS files within any build (the fourth group of three to four digit numbers in the OS version number) will always be the same. If a carrier wants something different or changed, it will get a different build number.

Going back to leaks and version numbers a bit. A while back (most of last year), a lot of leaked OSs came out - seemed like almost one a week. Those leaks usually did not have an associated software release number. The About page would just show "information not available", or something like that. These were all internal builds. Once builds went out for carrier testing, that's when software release numbers started showing up. Even if a carrier never publicly releases it, and moves on to an even newer build.

Leaks have become much harder to come by since late last December. Perhaps from the last round of mass layoffs, direct firings for leaking an OS, or both. This last OS we got was leaked, but also released by a couple carriers within hours. The leaker, I believe, got it as a carrier tester, but it was just coincidence that some other carriers decided to make it available when they did.

Carrier tested OSs may be the only way we'll get any new leaks now, as those get outside the BlackBerry walls and in the wild.

Long post, I know, but welcome to CrackBerry.

Posted via CB10

[muindor]

Wow, indeed it is a long post but it doesn't leave any questions. Very detailed, and you made everything clear to me, and I guess also for other new BlackBerry fans (hopefulle a lot).

Thank you very much everyone!