[MarsupilamiX]

Haven't seen anyone ask this question: What will BlackBerry do with their Android support if they decide to exit the handset business?

Clearly, they're moving more to software and putting a lot of time and effort into BBM cross platform (a good idea, imo).

Given their experience with Android support on BB10, what's to stop them from skinning BB10 onto Android with added security? Considering they're already supporting Android devices on the server end, it's not a stretch to speculate a BB10 skinned Android OS.

Just a thought. Plan B, perhaps.

Supporting Android on BB10 thus makes more sense long term.

Let's call it plan D'''.
That would be more truthfull, since using Android must be the ultimate last resort.
And I doubt that BlackBerry would seriously do that.
They'd rather be sold and broken up than to admit that Android would have been more suitable.

Personally I think that BlackBerry did the right thing through developing BB10 and that can be a positif differentiatior.
But the execution, marketing and strategical choices were just awful when it comes down to the launch of the platform and its future developments.

Posted via CB10

[playbookster]

BlackBerry simply does not have the user base to justify big app makers to make native apps. Sorry but this is better than not having apps at all. If it doesn't suit your needs then try another platform. As far as I can tell the performance of these apps is much better than android ports we have had in the past thanks to the new runtime.

Posted from my 295ppi super amoled s stripe 720p Z30

[omar_q10]

Interesting. Seems Amazon is partnering with HTC on the Android front at the risk of being expelled from the OHA. Gasp.

If that's the case, are they Pirates as well for 'sideloading' Android apps without Google's permission?

Amazon set to launch HTC-built smartphone, reports say | Technology | theguardian.com

EXCERPT: "If HTC has worked with with Amazon to produce a "forked" version of Google's Android operating system on the phones, then it could face expulsion from the Open Handset Alliance (OHA) - a consortium of mobile phone makers and networks whose stated purpose is to "accelerate innovation in mobile and offer consumers a richer, less expensive, and better mobile experience".

It's not about piracy. It's about the user experience, people want a unified system something out of the box.



Posted via CB10

[canuckvoip]

Good question. Are they signatories to the Google OHA?

Good question right back atcha!
:>)
I wonder how many people care given that the last "What's new" post on their website is from June 1st 2011...
Open Handset Alliance

[omar_q10]

BlackBerry simply does not have the user base to justify big app makers to make native apps. Sorry but this is better than not having apps at all. If it doesn't suit your needs then try another platform. As far as I can tell the performance of these apps is much better than android ports we have had in the past thanks to the new runtime.

Posted from my 295ppi super amoled s stripe 720p Z30

Ya I feel bad about how things are turning out for blackberry....and yes maybe it's easer to have missing apps now....but still the gap is wide until the native apps are here installable from BlackBerry world and fully designed for BlackBerry 10.

Posted via CB10

[Gnomesane]

Let's call it plan D'''.
That would be more truthfull, since using Android must be the ultimate last resort.
And I doubt that BlackBerry would seriously do that.
They'd rather be sold and broken up than to admit that Android would have been more suitable.

Personally I think that BlackBerry did the right thing through developing BB10 and that can be a positif differentiatior.
But the execution, marketing and strategical choices were just awful when it comes down to the launch of the platform and its future developments.

Posted via CB10

Fair enough. To be clear, I hope they soldier on with BB10 as I love the OS.

Totally agree that the execution and marketing were a big fail. A massive shame to those of us who have used the platform and see the potential, no?

[Gnomesane]

It's not about piracy. It's about the user experience, people want a unified system something out of the box.



Posted via CB10

Totally agree. I just posted that bit about the OHA and Amazon/HTC to rub it in the noses of the arseholes on this forum who go on incessantly about how sideloading Android apps to BB10 is Piracy.

I prefer native apps, definitely.

[Gnomesane]

Good question right back atcha!
:>)
I wonder how many people care given that the last "What's new" post on their website is from June 1st 2011...
Open Handset Alliance

They don't care as it doesn't support their argument.

[NotGoodIMO]

In another world, clearly.

Hey, I'm all for the joy of new things. For established BB10 users inclined to tinker, I get that the latest developments are monumental. But the app gap being completely gone? Wow.

If that is what "optimism" is, that emotion needs to be outlawed for the good of mankind.

From what I see, app gap is pretty much gone for any tech savvy person. Remember, how every one used to say that Android is for the geeks and most normal users prefer iPhones. Well, guess what it seems most people these days are tech savvy to some extent as Android has been growing leaps and bounds. There are lot of people who don't buy Blackberry because of lack of apps, for most of them the problem has been solved as all it takes it to install an app is to browse to .apk file. Or better, just install Amazon store app or 1 Mobile market and you have all the apps. You don't need to be a rocket scientist to do that. Add BB10 intuitive UI features and security and I think we have a winner here. I think this is just a begining of turnaround. All Blackberry needs is a change of perception and with these new changes and new CEO, we might be seeing just that.

[richardat]

Scouring the internet for apk files is not something that little instagram Ashley wants to do. She wants to download it from the store. And get all her apps from the same pre-loaded place

Yes, and another question which arises: if you wanted android apps, and this was truly the solution to all the problems - why not buy an ANDROID PHONE! LOL

You can get one at any price point, get one with far superior specs, and have the real optimum experience of those apps, and have them readily available with no fuss and no muss and no niggling incompatibilities or missing features. Is having an OS, with a hub and swiping worth it to most people to have to pay more for a device which haphazardly runs android apps? Of course not - therein lies one of the big problems.

One might compare it to early days Mac: hey, now Mac can emulate windows...so you can all just buy a mac!!!

Didn't work.....and that's with an OS that arguably offered a far more stable and more accessible GUI! BB10 doesn't do either of these things, and whether or not you consider it more efficient or "superior", the fact is, most people aren't crying out due to the difficulties and limitations of ios/android (contrast that with the hated versions of windows from those days). In fact, Mac's strongholds in those days were the few key areas where apps - critical apps - were only available on their platform (or very limited on other platforms) - creative software, educational software, etc.

In any case, bottom line: no real problem has been solved (certainly not the real problems: how can BB10 sell, and how can BB survive) - because this won't help bb10 sell in the slightest. That really is the bottom line. Doesn't matter if we all thought so, or if you hate me, or anything else...in the end, BB10 won't sell.

[Djlatino]

Battery life.

[Bold_until_Hybrid_Comes]

Installed Instagram, Netflix, Google Earth, Youtube, and every other worthwhile Android app that was missing. So whats the big complaint now? 10.2.1 seems to have fixed what people didnt like about BB10... Great os but no apps. Now its a great os with every app.

BlackBerry simply does not have the user base to justify big app makers to make native apps. Sorry but this is better than not having apps at all. If it doesn't suit your needs then try another platform. As far as I can tell the performance of these apps is much better than android ports we have had in the past thanks to the new runtime.

Posted from my 295ppi super amoled s stripe 720p Z30

So now we have gone from

"seems to have fixed what people didnt like about BB10."

to

"this is better than not having apps at all."



Is that a sniff of reality sneaking in?

[MarsupilamiX]

Yes, and another question which arises: if you wanted android apps, and this was truly the solution to all the problems - why not buy an ANDROID PHONE! LOL

You can get one at any price point, get one with far superior specs, and have the real optimum experience of those apps, and have them readily available with no fuss and no muss and no niggling incompatibilities or missing features. Is having an OS, with a hub and swiping worth it to most people to have to pay more for a device which haphazardly runs android apps? Of course not - therein lies one of the big problems.

One might compare it to early days Mac: hey, now Mac can emulate windows...so you can all just buy a mac!!!

Didn't work.....and that's with an OS that arguably offered a far more stable and more accessible GUI! BB10 doesn't do either of these things, and whether or not you consider it more efficient or "superior", the fact is, most people aren't crying out due to the difficulties and limitations of ios/android (contrast that with the hated versions of windows from those days). In fact, Mac's strongholds in those days were the few key areas where apps - critical apps - were only available on their platform (or very limited on other platforms) - creative software, educational software, etc.

In any case, bottom line: no real problem has been solved, and this won't help bb10 in the slightest. That really is the bottom line. Doesn't matter if we all thought so, or if you hate me, or anything else...in the end, BB10 won't sell.

Apple "invented" bootcamp though.
As a buyer of a haswell MacBook Pro Retina 13, I know of it because for some very specialised programs which need Windows.
I could install a VM but I prefer dual-booting.

Posted via CB10

[kirson]

Blackberry is after the prosumer market now, not sally and dave who need to be force fed apps. We are their niche market. Everyth?g we need is available to us, though it takes 1 extra step to get to it.

Posted from my 295ppi super amoled s stripe 720p Z30

You know what? I firmly believe you (and those who share your point of view) are the reason BBRY is dying. For shame! Wake up! Smell the roses! Adapt!!!

[NotGoodIMO]

"Yes, and another question which arises: if you wanted android apps, and this was truly the solution to all the problems - why not buy an ANDROID PHONE! LOL "

Because the only thing missing in BB10 was the apps. I prefer BB10 gesture based UI, its keyboard, hub, security, and much more. I am much more comfortable in putting my credit card number on a Blackberry than on an Android. In fact, one of the main thing going for Android and iPhone is the ecosystem and this particular change levels the field on that front. Mark my words, if this change is handled properly then we will see many more people willing to try BB10 phones.

[nabil114]

It is not gone. Average consumer still has to learn it.

[Thunderbuck]

They can never advertise this to consumers because it's piracy, no app store will come pre loaded because neither they nor BlackBerry will want to troubleshoot problems that arise from running apps where they weren't meant to run, and most of the sideloaded apps are going to come from very questionable sources.
Game changer? Really?

Posted via CB10

It's not piracy. There are legitimate 3rd party app vendors (Amazon is one of them), and in many cases they are absolutely authorized to distribute their apps.

The reason they exist is that there are many Android phones out there that aren't certified for Google Services and thus can't offer Google Play. We don't see these phones in North America but they are popular in developing markets.

This is legit (largely, anyway).

[bp3dots]

Interesting. Seems Amazon is partnering with HTC on the Android front at the risk of being expelled from the OHA. Gasp.

If that's the case, are they Pirates as well for 'sideloading' Android apps without Google's permission?

Amazon set to launch HTC-built smartphone, reports say | Technology | theguardian.com

EXCERPT: "If HTC has worked with with Amazon to produce a "forked" version of Google's Android operating system on the phones, then it could face expulsion from the Open Handset Alliance (OHA) - a consortium of mobile phone makers and networks whose stated purpose is to "accelerate innovation in mobile and offer consumers a richer, less expensive, and better mobile experience".

Since Amazon already has the Kindle Fire version, I wonder if this would be an issue?

[Thunderbuck]

It is not gone. Average consumer still has to learn it.

There's nothing to learn. Buddy sends you a Web link to the Amazon App Store, you click it on your phone, and you're up and running with Netflix in minutes. It's insignificant compared to the effort of sideloading.

I haven't tested this yet, but I'm fairly sure that Link will back these apps up, too, so you don't have to reinstall after a restore.

[bp3dots]

There's nothing to learn. Buddy sends you a Web link to the Amazon App Store, you click it on your phone, and you're up and running with Netflix in minutes. It's insignificant compared to the effort of sideloading.

I haven't tested this yet, but I'm fairly sure that Link will back these apps up, too, so you don't have to reinstall after a restore.

As a retailer, I would never have recommended something that you had to use this type of outside installation on for most users. The inability to offer support, or to have coverage if anything broke is too great a risk for me to pass on to a customer.

Obviously, the tech heads would be an exeption, but those are they ones who wouldn't even ask about apps, because they know how to get them, or how to figure it out already.

[kirson]

There's nothing to learn. Buddy sends you a Web link to the Amazon App Store, you click it on your phone, and you're up and running with Netflix in minutes. It's insignificant compared to the effort of sideloading.

I haven't tested this yet, but I'm fairly sure that Link will back these apps up, too, so you don't have to reinstall after a restore.

Dude, I love reading your posts. They tend to be well reasoned and informative. But you appear to be completely missing the boat here. You need to massively tinker with your device to install a leaked OS before you can do any of this!

[Gnomesane]

Since Amazon already has the Kindle Fire version, I wonder if this would be an issue?

Not following what you mean...

[Thunderbuck]

Dude, I love reading your posts. They tend to be well reasoned and informative. But you appear to be completely missing the boat here. You need to massively tinker with your device to install a leaked OS before you can do any of this!

Beg your pardon. I'm anticipating that this will be the user experience when 10.2.1 releases to the public.

Posted from CB10 running on my awesome Z30

[Gnomesane]

Dude, I love reading your posts. They tend to be well reasoned and informative. But you appear to be completely missing the boat here. You need to massively tinker with your device to install a leaked OS before you can do any of this!

You need to tinker with your device. Not massively tinker with it. Point taken, most people aren't interested in taking an extra step. But let's be honest. Anyone who roots their Android phone has to go through more steps than this. Same for jailbreaking iOS.

[bp3dots]

Not following what you mean...

Amazon has a version of Android running on the Fire tablets. I'm wondering if HTC/Amazon using that on their phone would still cause OHA compliance issues.