BBRY World and Google Play

OK this is something i've been wondering about for a while and I thought i'd get it off my chest.

I've seen a lot of post's about getting Google Play on BB10, and I've got to wonder why BBRY aren't jumping all over this.

Their solution to the app gap was to get BB10 to sanbox android and allow the user to install android apps, which is adds no revenue to BBRY or the BB10 platform imho and potentialy invites security issues.

However, rather than letting users download any old apk, why not let authors submit their apk to BBRY where it could be tested and if approved added to BBRY World at the same price as it is sold on Google Play. BBRY could even take a smaller cut than google to entice more sumissions to BBRY World.

To me this seems like a win/win situation (as long as BBRY don't bog down the entire approval process ), developers can sell their wares on BBRY World for no extra work, and BBRY get more revenue and a bigger approved app selection.

BBRY World could even have a 'Android Approved by BBRY' section just to be clear to users what they are getting.

Anyway, just my thoughts </ Gets Coat, Exits Stage Right>

Nobody is preventing Android developers to make available their apps on BlackBerry World! In fact, BlackBerry has done everything in its power to attract Android developers.

*.apk to *.bar conversion is not different from installing *.apk files directly on your device - it takes only a few seconds for developers to do it.

Compatibility with BlackBerry's Android Runtime is the real issue - and this problem cannot be solved by allowing Android developers to upload *.apk files directly to BlackBerry World.


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Screen Timeout app - keep your BB10 screen awake as long as you need

Hi uncle_numpty, indeed a critical decision to make ...

IMHO
Blackberry World has standards that must stay intact and distribution format too.
Packaging a APK into a BAR is a basic process for developers and adds some "hidden" features that are valuable.
The process itself allows developers to nail compatibilities issues and enrolls the developer into the same "track record" than BB10 developers.
Versioning/testing is also supported, etc.

Adding a parallel and simplified process to load APKs in the same BBWorld would add confusion and probably a ton of unwanted/poor quality apps (I mean submitted, leading either to a poor validation process or a bottleneck in the publication process unless there's a giant team for that).
As we discussed during last Paris meet-up, I had this (very personal) reflexion : BlackBerry is not Google nor Android platform. The goal here is to provide a "cherry on the cake" and allow some users to grab *temporarily (?)* an app they cannot find on BBWorld, provided they work well (seems to be currently a 80-90% satisfaction ratio, one of the reasons why - as of date - they didn't advertised it). I'd better go with a competitor to Google (Say Amazon), work with them to approve apps on BB10 devices, create a full featured, rich native extra feature and embed it to BB10. No Google services, ok. Be it: you want G.S ? Go google and full Android.

For most users, Amazon app-Shop will be 99% compelling with their needs and we'll have a fully branded and trusted source to deploy and advertise this great (easy to use) feature to the average consumers.


P.S: and yes, I believe then that Android apps (converted to bar) should be exclusively listed into this area in their native format (apk) and quit the BBWorld (:p running - where is my shield ? lol)

My two cents.

Originally Posted by serbanescu

Compatibility with BlackBerry's Android Runtime is the real issue - and this problem cannot be solved by allowing Android developers to upload *.apk files directly to BlackBerry World.

This is true, but if it's submitted to BBRY World, dont BBRY have to check it's form/fit and funtion ?? Thus preventing apps that don't work or contain malicious code etc.

TBH i'd rather have native apps, and beleive the BBRY should have an in house conversion team that can be hired out to convert apps to native bb10 apps - but that just seems to be common sense so it'll never happen :)

Originally Posted by uncle_numpty

This is true, but if it's submitted to BBRY World, dont BBRY have to check it's form/fit and funtion ?? Thus preventing apps that don't work or contain malicious code etc.

BlackBerry is automatically checking for malicious code in the apps submited to BlackBerry World, but they are not doing a thorough quality check of the apps - as any BlackBerry World user may see for himself.

Again, the problem is that the Android Runtime is not fully compatible with all Android apps in Google Play - and this situation brings additional costs for Android developers willing to bring their apps to BlackBerry World (in many cases they would have to do some work in order to find workarounds that would make their apps work well on BlackBerry's Android Runtime). It wouldn't matter if those apps would be uploaded as *.apk files - what matters is for the Android code they are based upon to be fully compatible with the Android Runtime of BlackBerry 10.


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Screen Timeout app - keep your BB10 screen awake as long as you need

The reason question you should ask is what is the point of blackberry world. Why not just have Google Play since that's where all the apps are? Or just make an android blackberry phone and be done with it?

Originally Posted by diapers

The reason question you should ask is what is the point of blackberry world. Why not just have Google Play since that's where all the apps are? Or just make an android blackberry phone and be done with it?

I believe there's thousands of post already adressing that and the consensus is : android alone on BB10 = sudden death.

Originally Posted by diapers

The reason question you should ask is what is the point of blackberry world. Why not just have Google Play since that's where all the apps are? Or just make an android blackberry phone and be done with it?

Only full-Android devices that are Google-certified, and not running an incomplete or un-certified Android fork, are eligible for Google Play access, plus, those devices must come pre-installed with Google's suite of apps. BB10 is never going to be certifiable, and BB has no intention of installing Google's apps on all their phones (it would completely kill BB's services, including BB World), so there is zero chance of getting direct, official Google Play access, despite the dreams of some CBers.

And while I believe that BB should have gone Android back in 2009/2010, and build their security and UI on top of it, it's FAR too late to make that transition in 2014. BB chose to build BB10 on a foundation of QNX, and they simply can't do both. If they were a huge company with tons of sales (ala Microsoft/Nokia or Samsung), then maybe, but BB is fighting for its very survival, and offering an Android phone today would be seen as admitting that BB10 was a mistake. BB isn't going to do that at this stage in the game.

Originally Posted by Troy Tiscareno

Only full-Android devices that are Google-certified, and not running an incomplete or un-certified Android fork, are eligible for Google Play access, plus, those devices must come pre-installed with Google's suite of apps. BB10 is never going to be certifiable, and BB has no intention of installing Google's apps on all their phones (it would completely kill BB's services, including BB World), so there is zero chance of getting direct, official Google Play access, despite the dreams of some CBers.

+1

Originally Posted by Troy Tiscareno

And while I believe that BB should have gone Android back in 2009/2010, and build their security and UI on top of it [...]

-1 You cannot build security on top of an unsecure platform (unless you lock it down totally). They'd have at least to fork android 100% and "re-invent half of the wheels" to make it as secure than QNX fundations. Short answer (basically false, then) but I believe we've discussed it together numerous times already ;)

Cheers
SF

Yes, BB would have had to have their own Android fork, much like Amazon and Nokia have now, but they'd still have had instant access to virtually all Android apps, and it would have been much easier for Android developers to justify supporting BB.