[LuvULongTime]

The power to block people from reviewing, but still being able to download apps is bad. Such power can be abused. You (as a dev) make an app available for a device, you take responsibility for any bugs and bad (or good) reviews on those devices. Don't want the responsibility, don't make it available.

I see what you are saying. But in this case it would be legitimate as BB10 users would unofficially be using the apps under the advertised condition that they have not been tested by the dev and are not supported on BB10. So it would be a YMMV kind of thing.

[GEO1ER]

It's too bad there was no way for them to block BB users from reviewing and still keep the APK available. I truly believe an Amazon SNAP app in BB World would be ideal.

I'm sorry but I seriously don't think that's the problem. This is just someone's theory. Listen, let's think about this for a minute. If your a Dev, you obviously want to get your app on every single platform available, and if your a Dev that charges for your app you definately want to make your app available to as many people as possible. So why not develop for BlackBerry or Windows? Because, the money your making off of the sale or the money your making off of the ads doesn't justify developing and supporting your app on a platform with less users. Here is a perfect opportunity for them. An entirely new market has opened up for them. How many strong are BlackBerry users anyway, anyone know? Anyway getting back to what I was saying, an entire market has opened up for them and how much did they have to spend on development and support? $0, NOTHING, ZILCH, NADA... this is free money! And your going to tell me, that the reason they have removed their apps is because of Reviews? Come On!

Posted via CB10

[GEO1ER]

Soul Stream you say you're a developer, be honest, can you seriously say that blocking apps for BlackBerry users is a result of bad reviews? If you want to talk integrity, we all know that apps were and are always to bad reviews without BlackBerry users' input, bad reviews from competing developers etc... just the same apps are subject to false, Good Reviews, from the devs and people who support them, and don't tell me that this isn't true, because it is. Blocking apps from BlackBerry users has a lot less to do with reviews and I'm willing to bet a lot more to do with politics, associations and loyalty. And in some cases legal reasons. Hey, I may be completely off the mark but reviews sounds like a lame excuse.

Posted via CB10

[Tre Lawrence]

I'm sorry but I seriously don't think that's the problem. This is just someone's theory. Listen, let's think about this for a minute. If your a Dev, you obviously want to get your app on every single platform available, and if your a Dev that charges for your app you definately want to make your app available to as many people as possible. So why not develop for BlackBerry or Windows? Because, the money your making off of the sale or the money your making off of the ads doesn't justify developing and supporting your app on a platform with less users. Here is a perfect opportunity for them. An entirely new market has opened up for them. How many strong are BlackBerry users anyway, anyone know? Anyway getting back to what I was saying, an entire market has opened up for them and how much did they have to spend on development and support? $0, NOTHING, ZILCH, NADA... this is free money! And your going to tell me, that the reason they have removed their apps is because of Reviews? Come On!

Posted via CB10

Forgive me for being blunt, but only folks who don't develop think like this.

There is ALWAYS a cost to supporting another platform. Even if it's an opportunity cost related to extra support, it costs time.

Now, for Netflix and Instagram, it might be related to specific business dealings, but I have it on good authority that the reflex action to receiving complaints from users that one did not intend to support in the first place is remove access. Simple.

If BB10 users were profitable, it would be a different story. Why would a developer take on more work for no corresponding increase in sales?

[Bbnivende]

The real issue here is that the Amazon store is pathetic. The only solutions are Snap or having a cheap Android device from which you can extract the APK. Access to the Amazon store on your BlackBerry is a form of false advertising.

Posted via CB10

[nhanken]

If BB10 users were profitable, it would be a different story. Why would a developer take on more work for no corresponding increase in sales?

I'm pretty sure Facebook or WhatsApp wouldn't agree with you because they would love to add every new customer to their user base on any platforms as much as possible. By focusing on large ecosystems like iOS or Android doesn't necessarily correspond to increase in sales unless the app becomes popular and it doesn't happen overnight.



To BB or not to BB?

[Tre Lawrence]

I'm pretty sure Facebook or WhatsApp wouldn't agree with you because they would love to add every new customer to their user base on any platforms as much as possible. By focusing on large ecosystems like iOS or Android doesn't necessarily correspond to increase in sales unless the app becomes popular and it doesn't happen overnight.



To BB or not to BB?

Fair point.

Different model, yes... but also ask yourself: how much are those companies actually doing to propagate on BB10? Facebook hasn't invested much in the platform, ESPECIALLY when compared to what it does to woo eyeballs on other platforms.

But your average indie developer, who probably has to weigh new downloads against potential for profit, it is important.

[Soulstream]

Soul Stream you say you're a developer, be honest, can you seriously say that blocking apps for BlackBerry users is a result of bad reviews? If you want to talk integrity, we all know that apps were and are always to bad reviews without BlackBerry users' input, bad reviews from competing developers etc... just the same apps are subject to false, Good Reviews, from the devs and people who support them, and don't tell me that this isn't true, because it is. Blocking apps from BlackBerry users has a lot less to do with reviews and I'm willing to bet a lot more to do with politics, associations and loyalty. And in some cases legal reasons. Hey, I may be completely off the mark but reviews sounds like a lame excuse.

Posted via CB10

No. I don't think that bad reviews are the cause. I was just pointing out why the presented idea of restricting reviews was a bad one. I think the main cause is management decision ("we don't want to support BB") or support costs (most developers don't have BB10 devices to even test their apps).

You should remember that the Amazon Appstore was mainly used for Fire Tablets to get apps and developers submitted their apps in the store for those devices. Out of the blue this BB-Amazon deal appeared independent of the initial purpose of the submitted apps. You can't force devs to support a certain device if they don't want to and it's the same across all appstores.

[GEO1ER]

Forgive me for being blunt, but only folks who don't develop think like this.

There is ALWAYS a cost to supporting another platform. Even if it's an opportunity cost related to extra support, it costs time.

Now, for Netflix and Instagram, it might be related to specific business dealings, but I have it on good authority that the reflex action to receiving complaints from users that one did not intend to support in the first place is remove access. Simple.

If BB10 users were profitable, it would be a different story. Why would a developer take on more work for no corresponding increase in sales?

Tre Lawrence, I agree with you 100%. But that is assuming they are supporting BlackBerry 10 users. My point is that they are not supporting BlackBerry 10 users and don't have to. Again the answer to BlackBerry 10 users complaining is "awe do not support BlackBerry 10" Period! BlackBerry users are downloading at their own risk and should have absolutely no expectations from the android developers. I mean school me if I am wrong but there is no requirement for Android developers to support BlackBerry users just because they are downloading their app. Yes, no?

Posted via CB10

[Tre Lawrence]

Tre Lawrence, I agree with you 100%. But that is assuming they are supporting BlackBerry 10 users. My point is that they are not supporting BlackBerry 10 users and don't have to. Again the answer to BlackBerry 10 users complaining is "awe do not support BlackBerry 10" Period! BlackBerry users are downloading at their own risk and should have absolutely no expectations from the android developers. I mean school me if I am wrong but there is no requirement for Android developers to support BlackBerry users just because they are downloading their app. Yes, no?

Posted via CB10

Correct... that's how I read it.

I think at issue are expectations. We mostly figured the partnership would benefit us seamlessly, and it looks like the partnership really is simply permission to access what is available.

I don't know if Amazon could compel devs to support a device if it wanted to.

[kbz1960]

Correct... that's how I read it.

I think at issue are expectations. We mostly figured the partnership would benefit us seamlessly, and it looks like the partnership really is simply permission to access what is available.

I don't know if Amazon could compel devs to support a device if it wanted to.

I doubt it but like goe1er said can't they just say....sorry we don't support blackberry, use at your own risk.

[Tre Lawrence]

I doubt it but like goe1er said can't they just say....sorry we don't support blackberry, use at your own risk.

This is where feedback may play a role.

Android devs are so sensitive to it, due to competition.

Maybe if they wee able to disallow such users from leaving feedback...

[Soulstream]

This is where feedback may play a role.

Android devs are so sensitive to it, due to competition.

Maybe if they wee able to disallow such users from leaving feedback...

It's a bad measure. Allowing an app to be downloaded but not being able to leave reviews can lead to abuses by app devs. Doing this just for BB is another measure in a series of workarounds (patching, finding version X, downloading apks from who knows where) that would be bad for BB.

Imagine user X (not a member of CB) that downloads app Y and realizes it doesn't work properly. he tries to write a review but can't. I would be pretty pissed about that.

[Tre Lawrence]

It's a bad measure. Allowing an app to be downloaded but not being able to leave reviews can lead to abuses by app devs. Doing this just for BB is another measure in a series of workarounds (patching, finding version X, downloading apks from who knows where) that would be bad for BB.

Imagine user X (not a member of CB) that downloads app Y and realizes it doesn't work properly. he tries to write a review but can't. I would be pretty pissed about that.

Fair point.

I get that; in a big believer in the sanctity of reviews. I figure that if folks use apps not designated for their device, they should not be able to formally pan the app.

[anon(1678047)]

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[Soulstream]

Fair point.

I get that; in a big believer in the sanctity of reviews. I figure that if folks use apps not designated for their device, they should not be able to formally pan the app.

As long as amazon appstore is preloaded on BB10, you can't say that the apps are not designed for their device. I get what you mean about android apps on BB10 but BB made the decision themselves to use Android apps.

[cathulu15]

I think the review excuse is bogus. And although BlackBerry 10 has a small user base, proportional to Amazon devices it is not a few percent with less than 1% of the market.

Posted via CB10

[Tre Lawrence]

As long as amazon appstore is preloaded on BB10, you can't say that the apps are not designed for their device. I get what you mean about android apps on BB10 but BB made the decision themselves to use Android apps.

It seems, in a matter of speaking, that is exactly what Amazon is doing.

We definitely agree on the most of this issue I believe.

[Ment]

I think the review excuse is bogus. And although BlackBerry 10 has a small user base, proportional to Amazon devices it is not a few percent with less than 1% of the market.

Posted via CB10

I don't think its the whole answer but its part of it for certain apps. If you are Netflix you don't care about a few bad reviews as they are dominant in their category but for others where many apps are part of a competitive cohort a reduction in star rating could give devs heartburn. I think in practice it works this way. Devs get questions and perhaps one or two bad reviews. Then they have a internal dialogue on what it would take to continue to allow BB10 users access in terms of time/money and then make their decisions. After all removing BB10 devices from the support list takes about a much time as answering a user question.

Perhaps the solution is to not to restrict reviews but for devs to be able to respond to reviews and then request that Amazon remove the affect on their rating for that review because it is not a supported device. They can then respond to any support request with a canned response that they don't support BB10.

[Soulstream]

Perhaps the solution is to not to restrict reviews but for devs to be able to respond to reviews and then request that Amazon remove the affect on their rating for that review because it is not a supported device.

People think of this only in relation to BB, but this is a bad idea in general. You don't want to support a device, you just don't allow that device to download the app; simple and clean.

The current implementation across all app stores is good, hell even BB world uses it.

[LuvULongTime]

The real issue here is that the Amazon store is pathetic. The only solutions are Snap or having a cheap Android device from which you can extract the APK. Access to the Amazon store on your BlackBerry is a form of false advertising.

Posted via CB10

Amazon is pathetic because half of the apps are restricted. Almost all of the big apps are there, but we cannot see them.

[LuvULongTime]

If you are Netflix you don't care about a few bad reviews as they are dominant in their category but for others where many apps are part of a competitive cohort a reduction in star rating could give devs heartburn.

The irony here is that it is the Netflix's of the world that are locking out BB devices on Amazon.

[Ment]

The irony here is that it is the Netflix's of the world that are locking out BB devices on Amazon.

Yes but I think its due to support costs as I think its a highly sought after app for BB10 users in the Amazon app store and they don't want to deal with current questions and questions about the app that breaks compatibility with the runtime on future versions and bug updates. We've seen that here on this forum. XYZ app works fine then Amazon app gets updated then it borks and we don't know why.

[bakron1]

I know the faithful don't want to here this but, Blackberry should make a device with Android as the primary OS with a Blackberry OS10 skin.

Now you would have full access to the android app world and Google play services! Sorry folks, but as much as l love OS10 and its great features, the dynamics have changed.

The new Titans on the block are Android and IOS and the way I look at it in today's market is you either roll with them or get rolled over, just the way I see it at the moment.