Should BlackBerry start building Apps?

I am a first generation release day purchaser of the playbook, and without a doubt I love it. The update with the Z10 has removed some functionality but i am sure this will be resolved in time with PBOS update or Bridge Update.

What I have been thinking in all honesty is that BlackBerry should start investing in Apps it will drive functionality and sales.

In Australia we are inundated with iPad/iPhone apps and now the android market is picking up. So why is it no one is developing applications for the BB platform?

Here are some examples the Australian Financial Review only on iPad (its the premier Finacial news papaer in Aus)
Foxtel Go (Foxtel is a subscriber TV group lets call it cable) They have just released a app for the ipad and ipad mini.
The Sydney Morning Herald and Age again ipad apps.

Think about your home town, think about the services that are offered to iPad users a News Paper application really is quite simple once developed it merely needs the data so one app can serve many groups.

My theory is if you build it they will come, if BlackBerry invests in app development it would therefore create the market for its products. Therefore sales should increase and as a result profits. Being designed by BB means that they will work with the OS the retailers win as they receive a simple and user definable app with security permissions to they advertise Built for Blackberry on their pages and documents. it goes around and BB wins.

I would love to hear others opinions on this.

All the Best

CO

I agree wholeheartedly!
I think they should invest some of their money in apps built properly.
I understand that one BlackBerry sale of the Z10 yields the same profit margin of sales as 3 units of a competitors phones, Nokia maybe, not sure the other phone name now. So yes, I think Black berry should be building some great apps for us that work and have proper permission needs.

NO! just take a look at the facebook app for Playbook. It's completely trash and haven't had an update since last year w/ the release of OS2.0

Yes, and given the PB's ability to run converted Android apps, they could start there. I agree with the OP. Build it and they will come. There are so many valuable financial, travel, business, and news Android apps, some of which have already been converted by GoodeReader and others. But some lack functionality, or haven't worked since recent PB updates. The PB is still an excellent device, but many apps exceed capabilities or just ease-of-use vs. the PB's browser.

Sorry my friend, but we are focused on Z10 and Q10

I would love it if blackberry designed their own apps. Obviously a lot of the apps that developers make are fantastic, I just think you can't have too many apps or developers, especially good quality ones. And since blackberry naturally knows it's phones and tablets inside and out, I'm sure they could and would make incredible, detailed, and obviously native apps. This would make us get the maximums out of our phones and I like to squeeze everything out of my phone!!! Just makes sense.

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Originally Posted by Thorsten_Heins

Sorry my friend, but we are focused on Z10 and Q10

Gee, my error. I naively thought that apps would work on both after the PB was upgraded to BB10. Silly me.

I totally agree, that to me is the next step!! I don't even care personally about a lot of apps, but 90% of the users truly do!!

Originally Posted by rupam95

NO! just take a look at the facebook app for Playbook. It's completely trash and haven't had an update since last year w/ the release of OS2.0

I agree about the facebook app for playbook unfortunately

I would like more apps too. But it depends on the app. Being in Canada I have a Globe and Mail app and National Post app on my playbook but I rarely use it. Why? Because I have a news feed that allows me to subscribe to the rss feeds of various news agencies all over the world. It also syncs with my 9900. I'm not sure this still exists on BB10, but it should. Having an app for everything is not always best. Banking apps are much more useful. I just use my browser but I understand the ease of use an app can give in that regard. Apps to me are mostly some forms of social client, games or some plethora of tools be it work or fart. Those kind of apps make up the majority of what we are seeing in BB10 as it is.

In no way, though, am I going to ask BlackBerry to make apps for us. It is up to the companies to develop their own apps. BlackBerry simply does not have the resources to do this on their own. The only reason apps are being made for Apple and Android is due to their popularity. BB is still new to the game because BB10 is so different to what they used to make and it will take time for these developers to feel it necessary to port to BB10.

I agree about a lot of what you say, I just want the new blackberries to really stretch themselves to make great apps, something that uses as much of the phone as possible. If the developers know the phone as well as blackberry knows their own phones then that's great!

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Sure they should - if you develop core apps then that would improve the effectiveness and desirability of their product.

They could also approach other develpoment houses and say 'hey love your app/game how's about letting us convert it to BBRY for ya'

Add to this that BBRY's in house knowledge about their own product would probably lead to better more user freindly devlopment tools for use by outsider development houses.

Software is the future - making hardware is becoming a business of diminshing returns.

Originally Posted by PINC

I agree wholeheartedly!
I think they should invest some of their money in apps built properly.
[BOX]I understand that one BlackBerry sale of the Z10 yields the same profit margin of sales as 3 units of a competitors phones, Nokia maybe, not sure the other phone name now[/BOX]. So yes, I think Black berry should be building some great apps for us that work and have proper permission needs.

I would disregard reports of profit margins of z10 compared to other phones until a reliable source is quoted. If the Profit margin for the z10 was so high retailers would be beating down the doors to sell it...

even if it was so high ...every z10 that is sold to a current BBY user removes the user from blackberry service charges. So it decreases bby revenue stream.

I dunno. Seems like BBRY could only make system apps/utilities. I think I read on here that BBRY was working with Netflix at one time to build that app themselves. I think most of the apps that people want have to come from the source (non-BBRY). I think most of the resistance comes from the small BB10 user base. If BBRY got BB10 to PB quick, that's an instant 2MM users and greater projected revenues.

I would love more apps made by berry!
I know recently the balls been dropped on them but at one time they where better.
But i mainly want them because it give me a bit more of a security feel, i know its made right for my device and i have less doubts about some creepy permissions and spyware type stuff hidden in there

geez blackberry does make apps, they are not the best, they are not the worst.

so your asking for adverage apps ?

Originally Posted by lexluthorxx

I would disregard reports of profit margins of z10 compared to other phones until a reliable source is quoted. If the Profit margin for the z10 was so high retailers would be beating down the doors to sell it...

even if it was so high ...every z10 that is sold to a current BBY user removes the user from blackberry service charges. So it decreases bby revenue stream.

BBRY profit margin, is not the same as the retailers. And what carriers really want is what brings them new customers to sign up for new 2-year contracts.

Originally Posted by Barracuda7772

geez blackberry does make apps, they are not the best, they are not the worst.

so your asking for adverage apps ?

Which apps?


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Originally Posted by Thorsten_Heins

Sorry my friend, but we are focused on Z10 and Q10

Hehehe Mr Heins is a newbie. Funny!!

Originally Posted by Erik Lehman

Which apps?

well there's....hmmmmm


what about....hmmm


oh never mind....
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Okay, I'd like to know what happened to those Cascades or whatever apps that were shown, what, 2 years ago? And that team from somewhere near the Arctic Circle - you know those Scandinavians!!!!! WHERE ARE THOSE APPS?

Where is anything almost promised, but not quite since Promise would be similar to just around the corner, soon and 60 days after launch..........

Originally Posted by Erik Lehman

Which apps?


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blackberry makes their own facebook apps and twitter apps from my understanding under licence

I don't think they should. Their main job is to work on the platform itself, which includes the development tools and what not, and getting people to buy it. Then devs will take care of the apps.

Imagine what it would be like if BB had to make 50 apps instead of 50 devs each making one. And then what about updates and everything? It's a lot of work and they don't have the time for it.

So two apps. I know what you mean though, I don't think these generic twitter and Facebook apps are the ones people have in mind when they are talking about blackberry getting into the app game. I think they mean apps that can really push the hardware and use the phones power and specs.

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