[FlashFlare11]

A few weeks ago I was talking to my friend about the PlayBook and BlackBerry OS in general. I mentioned to him about the Android Player on the PB and his response to it was, "Wow! That's sad." At first, I wondered why he thought like that. Then I began to think about it, and here are my thoughts:

Ever since RIM announced Android Player for the PlayBook, I felt like they were giving in to Google. It's almost as though they were conceding that App World would never has as many apps as the Market. Now, developers don't even have to develop for future BBs (assuming they have AP), and something about that doesn't feel right.

Although it fixes App World's shortcomings, those apps weren't created with BlackBerry in mind.

How do you feel about this? (I'd especially love to hear from PB owners, since I don't have one)

And what would happen to App World in future devices?

(I'm not coming down on Android Player. In fact, I think it's brilliant. I'd just think it would be better for BlackBerry to have apps specifically designed for its own platform)

[Alberta Blue]

I don't see it as caving in. Why not get the best of both worlds? The only thing I would take from Android is the App World selection ...

[dopestar]

I never put much thought into it but I see your point. We will see eventually on what RIM decides to do with it's products . Everyone is watching very closely...

[gord888]

i see it as a big "f-u" to the editorials that complain about the lack of apps. plus it gives bb users the best of both worlds... win win

as for the native app argument, i think all the "good" apps will get ported over.

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[tkwolf]

I don't see it as caving in. Why not get the best of both worlds? The only thing I would take from Android is the App World selection ...

That's what an optimist would say. Blackberry user here and I love blackberry but in in my own perspective (and this does not invalidate any fact, whatsoever out there) if RIM's appworld is as diverse and good as the android's, they probably won't be making this move. It's just like how a "kingdom" isn't going to open its doors to other competing kingdoms, but in the case of a kingdom that doesn't have much "resources", it can perhaps make a treaty or a deal with another kingdom to expand....and maybe crush the other kingdom from with in. JK on that last bit

but again, it's the best of both worlds as hanna montana would sing

[GADA]

i feel the same way with the android app player what will the developers continue to even develop for us anymore why cant we just have our own bb made apps ... why did hulu work for the playbook launch and then it was disabled just an example. if this was a temp item i would be for it but having to run another os to use your device smh is a little sad

[Economist101]

i see it as a big "f-u" to the editorials that complain about the lack of apps. *plus it gives bb users the best of both worlds... win win *

On the contrary, it delivers a limited selection of apps designed for another platform to PlayBook users. It's better than nothing, but far from a win, which would be legit native apps.

as for the native app argument, i think all the "good" apps will get ported over.

If developers wanted to port native apps to the PlayBook they would do it. It's not as though there aren't tools available. On the contrary, I'd be willing to bet that the Android Player announcement removed any native app development incentive, essentially forcing users to wait for Android apps.*

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[dalton4L]

I have said it's sad from day one. It sucks that RIM is falling back on Android for me personally because I like BlackBerry but hate Android, and it sucks for RIM because it shows they aren't 110% faithful in their own ability to make a platform desirable enough to develop for.

[TheScionicMan]

Its an unfounded broad generalization that devs will only make Android apps once the player comes out. Kinda like how "devs" wouldn't produce anything for BBOS7 since QNX is almost here...

[Economist101]

Its an unfounded broad generalization that devs will only make Android apps once the player comes out. Kinda like how "devs" wouldn't produce anything for BBOS7 since QNX is almost here...

On the contrary, if developers aren't coding PlayBook apps now, how likely are they to do so after they can just port their Android apps?

[shingi_70]

Yep its a fail but they didn't have too. Remember this is leaning on if devs dcide to port apps over in the first place. Also while a 7inch screen kinda helps these will be phone apps and not tablet optimized apps.

And to be truthful the SDK should have been out last year when the playbook was announced. Look at google they had when they annocunced honeycomb they showed off big name app support, knowing more would come (they're around 600 now)

**** windows 8 won't be released to fall of next year and the developers tools to build apps for the tablet mode come out tommorow with microsoft starting a windows 8 tablet giveaway to devs.

So we can't give rim any leeway anmoe.

[TheScionicMan]

On the contrary, if developers aren't coding PlayBook apps now, how likely are they to do so after they can just port their Android apps?

That's not what I understood the OP to be saying. He said "Now, developers don't even have to develop for future BBs" which sounds like they are currently developing for BB but will no longer need to make BB native apps. The devs you are referring to aren't building apps for the BB so that's the exact reason for the Android Player.

There's a lot of gray area here until it all comes out. If Android apps are going to be badly formatted to the size, limited in functionality, etc like some people claim will be the case, then they're not going to be worth as much as a well coded native app so there's still various incentives for native apps.

[rollingrock1988]

I don't get it. It is the smartest business decision they have made in the past 2 years. Or, at least one of them.

It's an F-U to Apple, Google and the media for all of the ish-talking and complaints. They have basically STOLEN the apps and are now not behind in the race.

Opening up your platform to allow a million different types of coding languages and apps is a great idea and the fact that they can still keep their eco-system secure is even better, especially with all the malaware that Google is known for.

[rollingrock1988]

It's not conceding anything. If Google or Apple would have thought of it people would be sucking their....

[Economist101]

It's an F-U to Apple, Google and the media for all of the ish-talking and complaints. They have basically STOLEN the apps and are now not behind in the race.

It's not an F-U to Apple, since it's not iOS apps this player will run. As for Google, all they want is their ad impressions, which they'll get from the apps no matter what device is running them. As for being behind, keep in mind that the player isn't going to make the Android Market accessible on the PlayBook, but rather will allow 2.x apps submitted to (and approved by) App World to function on the PlayBook. That's an important distinction.

The larger problem is that developer interest in RIM platforms just isn't there. As an example, RIM's sold nearly 175 million BB phones all time, yet in two years App World has added fewer apps than WP7 has in 10 months (and MS' smartphone share has actually declined since WP7 launched). If developers are largely willing to ignore 70 million BB subscribers as they have for much of the last two years, the 1 million PlayBook users aren't going to do much better.

[rollingrock1988]

It's not an F-U to Apple, since it's not iOS apps this player will run. As for Google, all they want is their ad impressions, which they'll get from the apps no matter what device is running them. As for being behind, keep in mind that the player isn't going to make the Android Market accessible on the PlayBook, but rather will allow 2.x apps submitted to (and approved by) App World to function on the PlayBook. That's an important distinction.

The larger problem is that developer interest in RIM platforms just isn't there. As an example, RIM's sold nearly 175 million BB phones all time, yet in two years App World has added fewer apps than WP7 has in 10 months (and MS' smartphone share has actually declined since WP7 launched). If developers are largely willing to ignore 70 million BB subscribers as they have for much of the last two years, the 1 million PlayBook users aren't going to do much better.

Yes, yes it is. See they both harp on their app eco-system. So basically RIM stole Android's app eco-system and now there is no reason for them to harp on their huge app selection.

Plus it's not just about the playbook but the QNX eco-system in general. This is forward thinking.

Whether or not developers have to submit their apps to app world is not a fault to me. They should have to. RIM is no exception, all the other platforms require it.

WP7 is a joke and the fact that you even brought it up is puzzling to me. Microsoft products have declined in quality since XP and their mobile platform has always been a joke. They declined because people are really over the Microsoft eco-system and all the problems it brings. Apple's computer market share has only been on the rise and they already own mobile right now. Using MS as a bar for success or failure in the mobile arena holds no water.

You can point to HP. I'm not going to argue about that.

RIM is in a good place but it's clear they need to move forward. Using android app selection is only going to tip the hat in their favor.

[_StephenBB81]

I certainly don't think it is a Bad thing at all

App development takes a lot of time, and RIM is way behind the curve, they want to catch up this is the BEST way to catch up, by giving Devs MANY ways to bring Apps to the BlackBerry Platform, Apps can be repackaged and loaded into App World, there for bypassing the App market, Apps can be loaded into an Android App layer to run Android Apps inside a layer, or developers can use many languages to make apps.

You ask, Why develop an Native app for a QNX device when they can develop one for Android and just port it over with tools, or have it run in the App Player layer.

Simple, it is vanity, a Software developer who actually cares about their software will want the users to get the best experience possible, once they've developed for their platform of choice they then look to other platforms trying to get the same function on all platforms, yes they can port their Android App to RIM quickly, and get some fast users, but if it is successful they surely will want to improve it using Native API's and SDK's to get the most out of their App.


Especially if RIM does a Better Job than Android with QNX and multiple device compatibility which I REALLY hope they are addressing in the future unlike BBOS5, and 6.

[Danf]

I think the Android player is a smart move. All the Developers I have talked to say that BB apps are much more difficult to make than android or iphone apps.

The android player hopefully will address the one gripe I have with BB. That being with each new phone and OS the app eco system collapses and you have to wait weeks and even months for the developers to catch up.

I am hoping that QNX will solve this problem, both by having the android player and QNX being much easier to develop apps for.

[kbz1960]

It's not an F-U to Apple, since it's not iOS apps this player will run. As for Google, all they want is their ad impressions, which they'll get from the apps no matter what device is running them. As for being behind, keep in mind that the player isn't going to make the Android Market accessible on the PlayBook, but rather will allow 2.x apps submitted to (and approved by) App World to function on the PlayBook. That's an important distinction.

The larger problem is that developer interest in RIM platforms just isn't there. As an example, RIM's sold nearly 175 million BB phones all time, yet in two years App World has added fewer apps than WP7 has in 10 months (and MS' smartphone share has actually declined since WP7 launched). If developers are largely willing to ignore 70 million BB subscribers as they have for much of the last two years, the 1 million PlayBook users aren't going to do much better.

Wow just looking at those numbers I think if I were a dev I'd be looking at more cha ching!

[rollingrock1988]

Wow just looking at those numbers I think if I were a dev I'd be looking at more cha ching!

Dude. His name says economist101. He knows numbers and it's a concession. Developers don't want to take the time to register their apps with RIM.

[kbz1960]

Dude. His name says economist101. He knows numbers and it's a concession. Developers don't want to take the time to register their apps with RIM.

Wow that makes them sound stupid. Don't want to take the time? Does it take months or years? I guess they have all the money they need or want so they can ignore another revenue source.

[TheScionicMan]

Did the dev community hire a spokesperson to lay out what "they" will or won't do? It's a lot of conjecture and painting with broad strokes...

According to some people, devs must be the laziest, most unmotivated people who obviously don't care about making a living... I'm sure they are all sitting on such huge piles of cash that a little more effort to bring in an additional revenue stream is the last thing on their minds...

[siausin]

I think it's the right strategy. As much as RIM wanted to build its own app ecosys, it simply hasn't got the critical mass for developers to massively jump in. Without a good list apps, RIM PB risks being sidelined and obsoleted. So, why not take advantage of android open system to build android app ecosys capability for its PB? It achieves 2 purposes. First, it instantly give PB users access to many apps. Secondly, because of first point, it raises the desirability of PB. Once PB has gained massive inroad in consumer space, RIM's own app ecosys will evolve. I think RIM is reconizing the problem and is being proactive in addressing the lack-of-app issue. If it executed right, who knows, we will have a PB with both RIM and android capability. Two in one. Could be great stuff..

Sent from my BlackBerry 9810 using Tapatalk

[gord888]

Just as an FYI... the main reason developers don't code for BlackBerry is because it's friggin difficult with restrictive and cumbersome API's. The Android SDK is hella easier to work with. If the native PlayBook SDK makes it easier, then they'll win over developers in time because there is such a pentup demand for BB apps. It's a lot easier to have a stand-out app in AppWorld.

[BitPusher2600]

Linux News: Security: The Future of Android, Part 2: Security Snafus

This article explains why Android, being the biggest thing it is right now, is also the least secure platform on the market. I fear RIM opening the doors to Android software may place us in that same boat.

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