[ray689]

I see some people saying that BlackBerry should push for more native apps...Clearly they tried to do that and it didn't go as planned. It's obvious that BlackBerry would prefer native apps as well but that hasn't happened and that's simply due to lack of users on the BlackBerry 10 platform. Having the ability to download android apps will at least give them the potential to gain a user base that will potentially make it viable for app developers to take a serious look at the platform. Not doing this and maintaining the status quo of trying to convince developers to make apps for an infant platform with a minuscule user base would have only lead to this platform dying out. This gives them a fighting chance.
And like others have said, just because you don't like android apps on your BlackBerry, doesn't mean you have to use them. If you enjoy the platform enough to own the device then I would assume you would want it to stick around and continue to grow. Having this ability is the ONLY way this platform has a fighting chance because it was clear getting native app development was not happening.
Nobody is being forced to download android apps so the whole security argument doesn't hold water.
In fact, being against this CHOICE seems to be somewhat of a selfish reason to me. Don't hold the platform down because you don't agree with something that you never have to use if you don't want to.

Posted via CB10

[anon2100101]

A german BB-forum (BerryMe) reported today, that BlackBerry discovered a security flaw: some android-apps negotiate the separation of privat- and business section (Balance) and take access to the contacts and contains of the (normaly protected) business sector...
I�m waiting for the first resentful comments at the media about the alleged proverbial security of Blackberry-phones....

Its like to cast out devils (lack of apps) by Beelzebub (insecurity)...

[Pete The Penguin]

I agree with the op. I think blackberry should push for more native apps. The android app experience on my z10 is a joke when compared to the s4. I'm hoping more big developers jump on board and create native apps.


Sent from my  using Tapatalk

I agree. I run my Q10 without Android apps (no exceptions) and believe BlackBerry should be pushing harder for Native app development.

[ubizmo]

I agree. I run my Q10 without Android apps (no exceptions) and believe BlackBerry should be pushing harder for Native app development.

What makes anyone think they haven't been pushing as hard as possible for native apps?

Sent via Tapatalk

[ray689]

What makes anyone think they haven't been pushing as hard as possible for native apps?

Sent via Tapatalk

Exactly, people are acting like BlackBerry didn't try or something. My post above goes into more detail.

Posted via CB10

[enik]

It's been able to sideload android apps since the playbook. If you don't like it you don't have to use it. I understand your point that many developers only ported their apps rather than making native versions, but honestly with how little market share we have we might have ended up with no apps at all from those devs. If you don't like it windows phone is always waiting for you

Sent from my LG-LS980 using Tapatalk

[Pete The Penguin]

What makes anyone think they haven't been pushing as hard as possible for native apps?

Sent via Tapatalk

Put it this way, many people on here cried foul (and threatened to cancel their account) when Netflix refused to bring a Native app to BB10 and they stated that BlackBerry could/should have paid Netflix.

Now we have this side-loading malarky and guess what? You can sideload Netflix's android app.
How many of those original complainants are now running Netflix on their BlackBerry?

I don't know how hard BlackBerry push the major developers for Native apps, but I do know this: it hasn't worked.
BB10 is not some indie dev platform, it is supposed to be the "next, best thing" from BlackBerry. This is 2014, man!!

Edit: The majority of people (techie and non-techie) I've spoken too have no desire to sideload another app store in order to use the app's they can get far easier on other platforms.
They'll either stay with a trusted platform they know or buy into another ecosystem with the apps readily available.

[Andrew4life]

No one is forcing you to sideload android apps.

Posted via CB10

[Mecca EL]

I see some people saying that BlackBerry should push for more native apps...Clearly they tried to do that and it didn't go as planned. It's obvious that BlackBerry would prefer native apps as well but that hasn't happened and that's simply due to lack of users on the BlackBerry 10 platform. Having the ability to download android apps will at least give them the potential to gain a user base that will potentially make it viable for app developers to take a serious look at the platform. Not doing this and maintaining the status quo of trying to convince developers to make apps for an infant platform with a minuscule user base would have only lead to this platform dying out. This gives them a fighting chance.
And like others have said, just because you don't like android apps on your BlackBerry, doesn't mean you have to use them. If you enjoy the platform enough to own the device then I would assume you would want it to stick around and continue to grow. Having this ability is the ONLY way this platform has a fighting chance because it was clear getting native app development was not happening.
Nobody is being forced to download android apps so the whole security argument doesn't hold water.
In fact, being against this CHOICE seems to be somewhat of a selfish reason to me. Don't hold the platform down because you don't agree with something that you never have to use if you don't want to.

Posted via CB10

+1 on every word!!

[ray689]

Put it this way, many people on here cried foul (and threatened to cancel their account) when Netflix refused to bring a Native app to BB10 and they stated that BlackBerry could/should have paid Netflix.

Now we have this side-loading malarky and guess what? You can sideload Netflix's android app.
How many of those original complainants are now running Netflix on their BlackBerry?

I don't know how hard BlackBerry push the major developers for Native apps, but I do know this: it hasn't worked.
BB10 is not some indie dev platform, it is supposed to be the "next, best thing" from BlackBerry. This is 2014, man!!

Yes this is 2014....a 2014 where Apple and Android control over 90% of the Global market with android being about 80% of that. If you think it's some simple task for BlackBerry to build an ecosystem like those overnight then you are sadly mistaken....clearly.

Posted via CB10

[Pete The Penguin]

Yes this is 2014....a 2014 where Apple and Android control over 90% of the Global market with android being about 80% of that. If you think it's some simple task for BlackBerry to build an ecosystem like those overnight then you are sadly mistaken....clearly.

Posted via CB10

I never said it was simple or easy.
We're a year in already, do we have to face a second year in the wilderness?

What happened to Rdio? They were an app partner at launch.
What about the other app partners whose apps have yet to appear?

[ray689]

I never said it was simple or easy.
We're a year in already, do we have to face a second year in the wilderness?

What happened to Rdio? They were an app partner at launch.
What about the other app partners whose apps have yet to appear?

You answered your own question...it's not easy and even harder without building a user base. in fact, nearly impossible without building a user base.
A user base wants apps (see the chicken and egg thing)...so what better way to build a user base then to give them access to apps they want now. Sure they aren't native and don't run as well as native but 95% of people don't even know that. They just know they can get an app. Once the user base is built, any app developer worth their salt will want to give that user base the best experience they can...and that experience is the native experience.

Posted via CB10

[thurman]

I disagree. I think it introduces and retains it current market share. Do you realize that some die heart Blackberry users are LEFT and GAVE UP on the Blackberry brand solely because of the lack of quality native apps. It's like peaking over the fence watching Android and IOS users get the best toys with this puzzling look on your face.

I think it was a clever move on behave of Blackberry to introduce the OPTION to do this individual method of obtaining what the user wants. This also gives potential Blackberry users the ability to transition from other platforms (platforms that they are familiar with) with ease. It's like "bait and switch" we need those people from other platforms to joins us in the fight to preserve Blackberry.

People we are on the verge of elimination. I think its great that people are proud that their devices is Android Free. That is the choice you made, but their are some that would leave Blackberry 100% for those apps. When people leave there would be no more Blackberry.

The Blackberry Marketplace (apps) is inferior to Google and iOS. Solutions People...solutions.

[ubizmo]

I don't know how hard BlackBerry push the major developers for Native apps, but I do know this: it hasn't worked.

Exactly. It hasn't worked. You simply can't assume it hasn't worked because they haven't tried hard enough. Again, ask yourself why many Android apps aren't even being ported to BB10 with little or no modification, at virtually no expense to the developer. If they're not willing to do even that, what manner of "push" would persuade them to build native apps?

[FeitaInc]

My first try at a responds on the point of the OP, I kind of got I wrong, so I had to delete what I wrote. I did this by swiping sideways over the keyboard of my z10, a gesture I couldn't do on my BlackBerrys of old. Whilst getting my head around what I wanted to write, I swiped up, peek-ed into the HUB and exited to my active frames to change from CB10 to a (sideloaded) SnapChat/Spotify/.. app.

Sure, allowing / opening up for sideloading of android apps introduces added complexities for BlackBerry in terms of security, but except for the reported bugg with contacts on some BES10 administered devices, it seems that if anything BlackBerry has expanded on the security features of BB7.

A common comment I get when I show of many of the features of BB10 to people who "hate" BlackBerry is "wow.. I really didn't know that a BlackBerry could do those things!"

I really believe that there will be a convergence for businesses to deploy one powerful highly secure and centrally managed device to each employee. This device will need to be able to run a secure OS which will be able to also run programs which will call on resources from the cloud. It is a device you plug in when you get to work in the morning, and bring home in the evening.

In that context, I like to think of it the android runtime as something BlackBerry can deeply today. I am really curious to what the next thing will be.

So my responds to the OP is.. sorry man, but the BlackBerry of old is dead. The phoenix rising from the ashes is a mobile platform which will be able to take you much further on all axes compared to the old BlackBerry. Needles to say I am really exited for the future of BlackBerry.

And the notion that a non-BES BlackBerry is much safer than iOS.. well.. I don't know how much hold there really is to that. Buy a server, download BES, buy a CAL and enable all the policies on your BlackBerry. It'll be one hell of a secure device, but...



Posted via CB10

[ubizmo]

I agree that running Android apps in BB10 is far from ideal. But the alternative is to play Microsoft's game, which involves resources to wait a long time. BlackBerry can't win that game.

They may not be able to win the game they're playing either. It's uncharted territory. But at least there's a possible way forward. The ability to directly install Android apps removes at least some of the barrier to owning a BB10 device, although BlackBerry has to figure out how to promote this capability. Removing that barrier makes it at least possible that they can start to recover some lost market share. That's far from certain but it's at least possible. If it happens, some developers at least will see that native apps get more traction with the user base and that will provide an incentive to build them.

That is without doubt a very iffy strategy, but the other approach, of begging and bribing, has simply been a failure.

In a contest between iffy and failed, iffy wins.

[nt300]

3 Simple Points that make Downloading & Installing Android Apps onto BB10 an awesome move by BlackBerry.

1) Quite simple, downloading and installing Android Apps on BlackBerry 10 devices was a Genius move by BlackBerry. This literally squashes the app library argument for now, and now has the ability to attract many new potential BBRY customers.
2) This also appeases the BB10 current owners (Myself Included) which have been waiting for certain high profile apps to arrive in BlackBerry World, but have not, and seem to be taking ages to arrive, if ever.
3) The more BB10 customers download and utilise Android Apps, the more DEV's will be interested in creating "Native Apps" for BBW.

Example: My niece has a Z10, where as 90% of her friends have iPhones. Despite the Z10 being far superior in design, looks and OS (Her iPhone friends agree), it's all about the apps for goodness sakes. Now that she has the ability to download and install Android apps directly to her Z10, guess whose taking notice? Yup, her iPhone friends. This was a smart business decision by BlackBerry.

Nobody is forcing you to install Android apps on your BlackBerry 10 device. This will only fortify BlackBerry 10's reputation and the ability to expand beyond mobility.

[ray689]

3 Simple Points that make Downloading & Installing Android Apps onto BB10 an awesome move by BlackBerry.

1)Quite simple, downloading and installing Android Apps on BlackBerry 10 devices was a Genius move by BlackBerry. This literally squashes the app library argument for now, and now has the ability to attract many new potential BBRY customers.
2)This also appeases the BB10 current owners (Myself Included) which have been waiting for certain high profile apps to arrive in BlackBerry World, but have not, and seem to be taking ages to arrive, if ever.
3)The more BB10 customers download and utilise Android Apps, the more DEV's will be interested in creating "Native Apps" for BBW.

Example: My niece has a Z10, where as 90% of her friends have iPhones. Despite the Z10 being far superior in design, looks and OS (Her iPhone friends agree), it's all about the apps for goodness sakes. Now that she has the ability to download and install Android apps directly to her Z10, guess whose taking notice? Yup, her iPhone friends. This was a smart business decision by BlackBerry.

Nobody is forcing you to install Android apps on your BlackBerry 10 device. This will only fortify BlackBerry 10's reputation and the ability to expand beyond mobility.

Exactly this ^

Posted via CB10

[Mecca EL]

Is it Sunday??? Because the Evangelists are in the BUILDING!!!

I'll make this point...
I gain an awesome amount of understanding of who's actually new to BlackBerry, who were long time users of BlackBerry, and who the true power users of BlackBerry are.

I said that to say this: BBOS was always able to sideload. It was always built into the OS. For example, how many downloaded and installed JAD and JAR files, outside of BlackBerry App World??? ME!!! So many awesome themes and apps never made it to App World. But they were available for download from the either the Dev themselves or other means.

Anyone that's under the impression that installation of apps from outside sources is a new thing, is new to BlackBerry. Period.

We've always been able to do this. Oh, we couldn't sideload android before? You just let me know you know nothing about PBOS. We've always had the tools. Even in its most secure state, BlackBerry was more open than any platform of the past. They made jail breaking an iPhone for themes and secondary apps possible. Hybridization of BBOS is what gave android users the idea of making custom ROMs.

Can I get an Amen?!

Posted via CB10

[Pete The Penguin]

Is it Sunday??? Because the Evangelists are in the BUILDING!!!

I'll make this point...
I gain an awesome amount of understanding of who's actually new to BlackBerry, who were long time users of BlackBerry, and who the true power users of BlackBerry are.

I said that to say this: BBOS was always able to sideload. It was always built into the OS. For example, how many downloaded and installed JAD and JAR files, outside of BlackBerry App World??? ME!!! So many awesome themes and apps never made it to App World. But they were available for download from the either the Dev themselves or other means.

Anyone that's under the impression that installation of apps from outside sources is a new thing, is new to BlackBerry. Period.

We've always been able to do this. Oh, we couldn't sideload android before? You just let me know you know nothing about PBOS. We've always had the tools. Even in its most secure state, BlackBerry was more open than any platform of the past. They made jail breaking an iPhone for themes and secondary apps possible. Hybridization of BBOS is what gave android users the idea of making custom ROMs.

Can I get an Amen?!

Posted via CB10

I'm not new to BlackBerry, my first was a Pearl for goodness sake. I'm not against the act of sideloading per se though I am against sideloading Android apps.

No, this has nothing to do with the app's themselves (heck, my second device is a Galaxy Nexus).

What I don't like is the way BlackBerry have gone about the whole process. At the very least, sideloading Android apps breaches the app dev's ToS.

No, I don't like it one bit regardless of whether I sideload or not.
This doesn't close the app gap for the average consumer or for Enterprise customers.

This is hurting the dev's who took the time to write quality Native BB10 apps.

[ray689]

I'm not new to BlackBerry, my first was a Pearl for goodness sake. I'm not against the act of sideloading per se though I am against sideloading Android apps.

No, this has nothing to do with the app's themselves (heck, my second device is a Galaxy Nexus).

What I don't like is the way BlackBerry have gone about the whole process. At the very least, sideloading Android apps breaches the app dev's ToS.

No, I don't like it one bit regardless of whether I sideload or not.
This doesn't close the app gap for the average consumer or for Enterprise customers.

This is hurting the dev's who took the time to write quality Native BB10 apps.

I disagree. The native developers are thriving. Igrann for example gives a much better native experience than Instagram. Myself and many others immediately deleted Instagram the minute igrann became available.
As far as the terms of service comment. If this was a major issue, you don't think Google (the second most valuable company on Earth) would have put a stop to it instantly? It's clear Google is not concerned so why should you be?

[Mecca EL]

I'm not new to BlackBerry, my first was a Pearl for goodness sake. I'm not against the act of sideloading per se though I am against sideloading Android apps.

No, this has nothing to do with the app's themselves (heck, my second device is a Galaxy Nexus).

What I don't like is the way BlackBerry have gone about the whole process. At the very least, sideloading Android apps breaches the app dev's ToS.

No, I don't like it one bit regardless of whether I sideload or not.
This doesn't close the app gap for the average consumer or for Enterprise customers.

This is hurting the dev's who took the time to write quality Native BB10 apps.

I was speaking in general, not specifically to you. There are alot of newcomers with tunnel vision opinions, that have never actually used a Blackberry the way it can be used. They just quote what others have said.

Not really concerned with an "app gap" because teens and younger adults are worried about that, and it's a poor excuse for not knowing how to use what comes native on a BlackBerry already - especially since OS10 is out of its freshman stage.

If ToS was actually a real concern, the Dalvic runtime would NEVER have been introduced over 3 years ago, in PBOS. Three yrs later, where are the lawsuits contesting ToS?

Where are these Dev's, who are hurting? Why haven't there been any threads "I'm a Dev, and I'm hurting...". The Dev's I know, that code for BB are having a hard time with getting simple approval, to BFB approval. Does that somehow stop them from producing and distributing an app? Is that what you're attempting to convince others of? Snap isn't in appworld, but we donate. Sachesi will never make it to appworld, but we donate. Most of the apk's being used are from brand named companies, that have their app for free, with awesome legal teams...Netflix hasn't chimed in with a lawsuit. As long as they're getting their $8 from me, what's the matter?

[Pete The Penguin]

I was speaking in general, not specifically to you. There are alot of newcomers with tunnel vision opinions, that have never actually used a Blackberry the way it can be used. They just quote what others have said.

Not really concerned with an "app gap" because teens and younger adults are worried about that, and it's a poor excuse for not knowing how to use what comes native on a BlackBerry already - especially since OS10 is out of its freshman stage.

If ToS was actually a real concern, the Dalvic runtime would NEVER have been introduced over 3 years ago, in PBOS. Three yrs later, where are the lawsuits contesting ToS?

Where are these Dev's, who are hurting? Why haven't there been any threads "I'm a Dev, and I'm hurting...". The Dev's I know, that code for BB are having a hard time with getting simple approval, to BFB approval. Does that somehow stop them from producing and distributing an app? Is that what you're attempting to convince others of? Snap isn't in appworld, but we donate. Sachesi will never make it to appworld, but we donate. Most of the apk's being used are from brand named companies, that have their app for free, with awesome legal teams...Netflix hasn't chimed in with a lawsuit. As long as they're getting their $8 from me, what's the matter?

The Dalvik VM is open source. I was talking about the specific ToS of the actual Android apps.

[rajeshkumar yadav]

if blackberry depleper connect vpn in bahrain like other phone it will take 1st posision like 10 years before market due to this people not purchase this phone because which site want to see not open thanks solve this and make no 1

Posted via CB10