[leedium]

I'm about to do some preliminary investigation on to building a native BlackBerry 10 app that currently exits on iOS and Android and will fill the gap on bb10. There have been attempts to wrap the mechanics in a Web view, but I'm going to attempt to go full native.

Part of this is to learn embedded device development with QT/C++/QML.
I think the last supported version is 4.8, so hopefully it can support what I'm going to do.

Does anyone have any numbers on the number of active BB10 users? As this app doesn't reliably exist, is there still a market for BB10 apps out there? I'm still making purchases from BlackBerry World as there are some great native apps out there(which are still being supported) so I can't be alone out there!

It's going to be a long slug.... but this OS is so beautiful and fluid and I'd also like to contribute to the BlackBerry 10 community.. even though it seems like it's dying.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

Posted on my BlackBerry Passport.

Posted via CB10

[Troy Tiscareno]

Best guess would be under 2M BB10 users (likely 1.5M or less) at this time (and falling rapidly). This is based on the last numbers BB released quite a while back coupled with the loss rate happening at that time, and the fact that it's been more than 2 years since the last device was released, meaning standard 2-year churn will have caused most devices to be replaced regardless, be that by BB Android or some other device.

[Ment]

The only apps that have some reasonable ROI for BB10 are ports of successful social media apps on other platforms and even those have dwindling prospects as the user base declines year to year and the APIs for those apps become inaccessible to 3rd party devs. Ripping code and putting some BB10 UI on it may not appeal to you as a technical exercise.

There will have to be a different monetary model to support devs on platforms with small user base whether thats BB10, Sailfish, Tizen. A buy-once-support-forever doesn't work for that. The apps stores themselves will have to support monthly/yearly subscriptions otherwise what happens is that a 'successful' app gets an influx of buys but the revenue dries up in future months meanwhile users expect bug fixes and upgrades which are uncompensated and devs lets projects die.

[Q10Bold]

Thanks for your support.
I think there are a lot users that are ready to support/buy a good native app.
Will it be a social app? Game? For work?

Posted via CB10

[mf1982]

In terms of BB10 apps, I see a couple of problems.

The first is all the junk in BlackBerry World. I don't go to BlackBerry World anymore because it's mostly junk now. Even the BBM update to support custom PIN doesn't exist. It's a disaster there and the lack of Built for BlackBerry certification means that a crappy Android port of an FM radio app will get as much screen time as a real BlackBerry App.

The user base of BB10 as a commercial enterprise is insufficient to support any real income. If you're doing it for fun, that's one thing, but if you're expecting to be paid for your time, good luck. I would imagine there's in the low, low 7 figures, if not already in the 6 figures left on BB10. The user base continues to fall and many of those left are those who don't care about apps. Again, other than the promised BBM update, how many people visit BlackBerry World on any sort of regular basis? It'll be an uphill battle to even get eyes on your app.

If you do proceed, good luck!

Posted via CB10

[lolo9269]

Welcome for new developer.

Bb10 is still a wonderfull os

lolo69 #welove&weshare

[lolo9269]

I think there is no native apps of telegram

A simple tools to add share to facebook without complete fabebook. Like youtube web on bb10 and we have option menu add to youtube.
It's will be fine for facebook because facebook web shortcut work fine. And so if a apps can capture notification of url short facebook.

And a apps for sync folder between two blackberry with Smb because we can connect to phone with Smb.
If apps can sync other it's will be fine like remenber note.


We don't have on bb10 a good database manager like memento database on android. Or isort on IOS. I don't know if Isort still exist on IOS but it was a very good implementation of psion epoc database

lolo69 #welove&weshare

[Invictus0]

I think there is no native apps of telegram

There are quite a few native Telegram apps on BB10, the developers ran a contest a few years ago.

https://telegram.org/blog/bb-results

[lolo9269]

There are quite a few native Telegram apps on BB10, the developers ran a contest a few years ago.

https://telegram.org/blog/bb-results

DianBao for Telegram is an android apps

lolo69 #welove&weshare

[Invictus0]

DianBao for Telegram is an android apps

lolo69 #welove&weshare

It's actually a native app, a good way to tell is if you can disable app permissions on first launch.

[conite]

It's actually a native app, a good way to tell is if you can disable app permissions on first launch.

Hard to not use the actual Android app though. It works perfectly, and Telegram is evolving very quickly with new features.

[lolo9269]

It's actually a native app, a good way to tell is if you can disable app permissions on first launch.

When you use appninja it say it's an android apps.

lolo69 #welove&weshare

[app_Developer]

Part of this is to learn embedded device development with QT/C++/QML.
I think the last supported version is 4.8, so hopefully it can support what I'm going to do.

If you're doing this as a learning exercise, go for it. I wouldn't expect to make any money, but if you'll get experience with Qt4.

Are you sure you have access to the APIs you need to build the app?
And have you tried the BB10 SDK? It hasn't been updated in years, but hopefully it still works. I'd try that with a hello world app on your computer and phone to be sure.

[Invictus0]

Hard to not use the actual Android app though. It works perfectly, and Telegram is evolving very quickly with new features.

Agreed, funny enough that's even what Telegram recommends in their post.

When you use appninja it say it's an android apps.

lolo69 #welove&weshare

It must be reporting it wrong, there's no way to change Android app permissions on BB10 through the native permissions manager. The app also doesn't have the software back button that runtime apps have.

[Richard Buckley]

I'm going to play devils advocate here and ask you why BB10, really?

The reason I ask that question is that although there are many still valid reasons to program on BB10 it does not seem to me that you have really considered the reasons not to. And in this I'm not even thinking abut the low market share and small user audience.

Part of this is to learn embedded device development with QT/C++/QML.
I think the last supported version is 4.8, so hopefully it can support what I'm going to do.

If learning Qt/C++/QML is the goal, don't use BB10. When you learn a programming language you should try to learn the latest version, then become familiar with the limitations of previous releases of the language as necessary to support lagging platforms. The latest standard for C++ is 17 and compilers are bringing out support for it. I don't know if Momentics for BB10 even supports C++11, let alone 14 or 17. For this reason I would also recommend against learning Qt at the same time as C++. Qt has for many years pushed the boundaries of what the language could do, so they built many capabilities into the Qt build system to overcome the limitations of C++. Now the C++ standards committee is pushing the language quite quickly. If you concentrate on Qt/QML/BB10 you will end up with very narrow experiences with C++. To get a feeling for how the relationship between Qt and C++ has changed have a look at CopperSpice and what developers and the Qt community are saying about the differences between Qt and CopperSpice.

The current version of Qt is 5.9. That is a lot of changes from 4.8, so if you want to learn how to make the best Qt programs you really need to think about learning the latest version. But on top of this BB10 doesn't support Qt 4.8, it is based on it. BB10 uses CASCADES which is essentially a fork of Qt 4.8. There are a lot of things that are well supported in Qt 4.8 that are not supported at all in CASCADES. There are things in CASCADES that don't exist in Qt. They are not huge limitations on BB10, but you will be learning non-Qt 4.8 ways of doing things. Also when looking for help people with Qt experience will give you a Qt 4.8 answer that may, or may not work with CASCADES.

Momentics is a great environment to develop in, and BB10 is a great OS to develop for. But don't kid yourself that you are going to be gaining skills and knowledge that will help you move into serious development in Qt/QML or C++ in the long term.

[mm2061]

As developer I would like to make a banking app to retrieve amount of credits directly on the phone( by webservices) and this may be could be an idea to work with bb10 ( secure phone) without virus! Financial app could be an idea! What do U think about?

Posted via CB10

[leedium]

If you're doing this as a learning exercise, go for it. I wouldn't expect to make any money, but if you'll get experience with Qt4.

Are you sure you have access to the APIs you need to build the app?
And have you tried the BB10 SDK? It hasn't been updated in years, but hopefully it still works. I'd try that with a hello world app on your computer and phone to be sure.

Yes, I have access to the APIs and I had dabbled with the SDK about 3 or 4 years ago. I'll agree it was a pleasure to code in. Life just got in the way and BB10 development wasn't gonna put food on the table.

But don't kid yourself that you are going to be gaining skills and knowledge that will help you move into serious development in Qt/QML or C++ in the long term.

The reason why I have decided to attempt this is because although BB10 is considered dead and gone by some, there is a personal need for myself. I'm sick and tired of having to use my iphone to use an app that very well could work . I'm going to try and build a nice fluid bb10 experience that will hopefully make my life easier, and others as well. Luckily this will be API driven, and payments is already taken care of so we'll see. I appreciate all the feedback. Yes I know it doesn't seem feasible, I'll give it a shot, and maybe in the next few months I'll have a nice surprise posted.

(I have a full time job so, this will be built in my spare time)

[Emaderton3]

As developer I would like to make a banking app to retrieve amount of credits directly on the phone( by webservices) and this may be could be an idea to work with bb10 ( secure phone) without virus! Financial app could be an idea! What do U think about?

Posted via CB10

You have current APIs from banks??? I can't imagine they would allow third party development.

Posted via CB10

[Richard Buckley]

The reason why I have decided to attempt this is because although BB10 is considered dead and gone by some, there is a personal need for myself. I'm sick and tired of having to use my iphone to use an app that very well could work . I'm going to try and build a nice fluid bb10 experience that will hopefully make my life easier, and others as well. Luckily this will be API driven, and payments is already taken care of so we'll see. I appreciate all the feedback. Yes I know it doesn't seem feasible, I'll give it a shot, and maybe in the next few months I'll have a nice surprise posted.

(I have a full time job so, this will be built in my spare time)

Creating the application for yourself is good, I do that all the time. You may get some people to download it from BlackBerry World, but I wouldn't for these reasons:

1. Please don't take offence, but how do we know we can trust you? We will have to provide the credentials for your application to gen into our bank account. You could send those credentials anywhere you want or even use them and our phones to do what every you want.
2. Do you have the knowledge, expertise and time (since this is going to be a part time activity for you) to write and maintain a secure application. What are you going to do if your application becomes a vector for malicious actor to access our bank accounts?

That said you may have some people download the app, most users don't think about security until it is too late. But think very carefully about your liability before you release a banking application.

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

The reason why I have decided to attempt this is because although BB10 is considered dead and gone by some, there is a personal need for myself. I'm sick and tired of having to use my iphone to use an app that very well could work . I'm going to try and build a nice fluid bb10 experience that will hopefully make my life easier, and others as well. Luckily this will be API driven, and payments is already taken care of so we'll see. I appreciate all the feedback. Yes I know it doesn't seem feasible, I'll give it a shot, and maybe in the next few months I'll have a nice surprise posted.

(I have a full time job so, this will be built in my spare time)

Is it an app that can't be used via Cobalt's Google Play Store? Too be honest I stopped bothering with BlackBerry World, re-downloaded a few utilities each time I installed a new OS was about all I did. Always went to Android for the most up to date and current versions of the apps I wanted.... if they worked.

There is a developer section here in the forums... not sure how active it is, but you might could take a look and possible PM any that are active.

[hoppysfavorite]

Creating the application for yourself is good, I do that all the time. You may get some people to download it from BlackBerry World, but I wouldn't for these reasons:

1. Please don't take offence, but how do we know we can trust you? We will have to provide the credentials for your application to gen into our bank account. You could send those credentials anywhere you want or even use them and our phones to do what every you want.
2. Do you have the knowledge, expertise and time (since this is going to be a part time activity for you) to write and maintain a secure application. What are you going to do if your application becomes a vector for malicious actor to access our bank accounts?

That said you may have some people download the app, most users don't think about security until it is too late. But think very carefully about your liability before you release a banking application.

The OP didn't say anything about a banking app, another poster did. We don't know what kind of app the OP is thinking about developing.

[Richard Buckley]

The OP didn't say anything about a banking app, another poster did. He don't know what kind of app the OP is thinking about developing.

Fair point. I personally should have been more clear about attribution.

LeapSTR100-2/10.3.3.2205

[lfcohen]

Hard to not use the actual Android app though. It works perfectly, and Telegram is evolving very quickly with new features.

All Telegram ports for BB10 are a piece of trash, sorry.... Just useless. With all due respect to the developers. And they are all abandonware.

A true native Telegram app for BB10 would be greatly appreciated specially as WhatsApp dies at the end of the year as a native app.

[Emaderton3]

All Telegram ports for BB10 are a piece of trash, sorry.... Just useless. With all due respect to the developers. And they are all abandonware.

A true native Telegram app for BB10 would be greatly appreciated specially as WhatsApp dies at the end of the year as a native app.

Welcome to the future of BlackBerry 10.


Posted via CB10

[johnb_xp]

Is there a native bitcoin wallet app for BB10? Might be a cool idea, and fairly easy to do.