[Jonathank]

I mean If I was an App Developer I would want my App to be broadcasted on every phone, tablet ect ect Especially if this is the way I earn an Income. But Why do BIG companies like Netflix and Skype say they have no plans to make an app for a TRUE international device like Blackberry? Is it that hard to make an app that would possibly bring $millions$ to a company? Is it me or is there something we don't know about? Do other phone makers pay to have an app exclusive? I know there r certain phone's specifically for carriers, But Apps? All those iphone Apps R not on BB because that developer chooses not 2 have them there, Right?? (Kinda dumb if that App is a paid 1) I think if every BlackBerry user deleted their accounts from their computers on a certain date to show the Loss that Skype, Netflix and other big companies would feel maybe they would change their mind about making an app . BECAUSE FACT Skype is 1 of the MAIN reasons PlayBook does not sell.

[hootyhoo]

$$$$$$$$$$$$.

[SnoozerBold]

all the main apps are on both ios n android cuz theyre popular and sell well
BBs are seen as dinosaurs for old people/oficce guys

I think he last part isn't correct and just flame bate. Developers don't care how an OS is seem if it sells well. If bb was the most popular but still was the month popular there would be more developers working on it.
The first part is correct. There's more users and more money to be made right now on other platforms. Also bb more difficult to develop for with all the different screen sizes resolutions its harder to maintain.

[BB.David]

My guess is companies (big or small) don't want to develop apps for a tablet-only platform (PlayBook) where as other platforms (iOS, Android, Windows Phone) their Apps are readily available via a mobile phone which garner a much wider audience.

While PlayBook OS is a BlackBerry platform, it's still not available via a mobile phone. And while all these PlayBook apps might might be BlackBerry10-ready - I'd bet developers will have to go back and rewrite AND resubmit every app to be compatible with each BlackBerry 10 phone that is released.

Once BlackBerry 10 is out, phones are widely available, and developers are still unwilling to write apps for BlackBerry - then I would worry.

[Mystic205]

Why don't dentists perform an appendectomy?.. or Why doesn't every English>German translators speak Japanese?..

Exactly the same reasons why SOME app developers choose to stay with one o.s. ..

If you seriously had wanted an answer to this question you would have been better off keeping your commentary and statements of alleged fact out of this post and placing it as a simple question in the developer section... after all, why would you seek legal advice by talking to someone in the grocery store?

.

I mean If I was an App Developer I would want my App to be broadcasted on every phone, tablet ect ect Especially if this is the way I earn an Income. But Why do BIG companies like Netflix and Skype say they have no plans to make an app for a TRUE international device like Blackberry? Is it that hard to make an app that would possibly bring $millions$ to a company? Is it me or is there something we don't know about? Do other phone makers pay to have an app exclusive? I know there r certain phone's specifically for carriers, But Apps? All those iphone Apps R not on BB because that developer chooses not 2 have them there, Right?? (Kinda dumb if that App is a paid 1) I think if every BlackBerry user deleted their accounts from their computers on a certain date to show the Loss that Skype, Netflix and other big companies would feel maybe they would change their mind about making an app . BECAUSE FACT Skype is 1 of the MAIN reasons PlayBook does not sell.

[GingerSnapsBack]

Also bb more difficult to develop for with all the different screen sizes resolutions its harder to maintain.

This. This is why there are multiple versions of the same app on BB where as on iOS or Android, you just need one. I'd imagine from a developer standpoint, it's easier to develop one Android app and have it be used on all Android powered phones than develop a different app for the Curve, the Torch, the Bold, et al.

I don't have that many apps on my S2 because it can't handle it, but I do have Sirius on mine. When I downloaded it, I had to pick from Sirius for the Curve, Bold, Tour, Storm1 or Storm2 whereas on my iPhone, there's just one app

[MartyMcfly]

I mean If I was an App Developer I would want my App to be broadcasted on every phone, tablet ect ect Especially if this is the way I earn an Income. But Why do BIG companies like Netflix and Skype say they have no plans to make an app for a TRUE international device like Blackberry? Is it that hard to make an app that would possibly bring $millions$ to a company? Is it me or is there something we don't know about? Do other phone makers pay to have an app exclusive? I know there r certain phone's specifically for carriers, But Apps? All those iphone Apps R not on BB because that developer chooses not 2 have them there, Right?? (Kinda dumb if that App is a paid 1) I think if every BlackBerry user deleted their accounts from their computers on a certain date to show the Loss that Skype, Netflix and other big companies would feel maybe they would change their mind about making an app . BECAUSE FACT Skype is 1 of the MAIN reasons PlayBook does not sell.

Lol yeah let's place the blame on Skype...its not skype's responsibility to make sure the pb sells.

[sleepngbear]

Software development is almost as much an art as it is a science. Having come from a development background (enterprise mainframe and client/server, not mobile), most developers have limited areas of specialization and expertise. Those who might be considered jacks-of-all-trades may know something about many platforms, but most likely not experts in many of them. It would certainly be nice for mobile consumers if the platforms were all similar to develop for, but they are not.

Since it makes professional sense to be more knowledgeable on fewer platforms than to be a little knowledgeable on many platforms, it makes business sense for those few platforms to be the ones with the most exposure and greatest chance for maximum app sales. This combined with other points made in this thread explains most of why there is nowhere near the volume of apps for BB as for iOS and Android.

@sunshine: Go BRUINS!!!

[gorang]

This. This is why there are multiple versions of the same app on BB where as on iOS or Android, you just need one. I'd imagine from a developer standpoint, it's easier to develop one Android app and have it be used on all Android powered phones than develop a different app for the Curve, the Torch, the Bold, et al.

I don't have that many apps on my S2 because it can't handle it, but I do have Sirius on mine. When I downloaded it, I had to pick from Sirius for the Curve, Bold, Tour, Storm1 or Storm2 whereas on my iPhone, there's just one app

Actually iOS is the only one that has one app in this case because iPhone 3 and 4 have same screen sizes, BlackBerries are more messy due to 6ish different screen sizes, Android is actually the one that's the worst because it has over 20 different screen sizes.
With next generation of phones BB is going to improve their game a lot because screens will have same resolution and aspect ratio so apps will work on multiple devices.

[auto208562]

I also am coming from a dev background. It's a numbers game for us. Supporting multiple platforms takes time and resources. Coupled that with the statistics we collect showing which platforms are used more, trends per year, etc., we weed out the less used.

If we show 1 million users for IOS, and growing trend of let's say 20% growth per year, and then we show 50k blackberry users, and shrinking trend of 20% decrease per year, we will make more $$$ if we support the IOS since it's growing and repeat customers.

It would be a waste for use to support the blackberry users.

Yea, it might suck for blackberry, but that's business. Until there's some reason to support smaller unpopular platforms, we will do so. But until then, it's not economical to do so, just to HOPE it will work, when we have a money maker already.

[mca312]

Because I'd rather release a quality product for one platform than a mediocre product across multiple platforms.

[TheScionicMan]

There's more to it than just coding an app. Support, improvement, content, priorities, etc.

MS paid $8.5 BILLION for Skype. I'm guessing MS will be their priority for a while at least...

[Laura Knotek]

There's more to it than just coding an app. Support, improvement, content, priorities, etc.

MS paid $8.5 BILLION for Skype. I'm guessing MS will be their priority for a while at least...

It looks like the original deal between Skype and VZW will be ending soon. Skype-Verizon Deal: More Details — Tech News and Analysis

I suspect that this exclusive deal, which occurred before Microsoft bought Skype, is the reason why only VZW BlackBerries have Skype in the US.

[dbmalloy]

Simple Math.... 1 million Playbooks with a new OS on the horizon.... Phantom phones not available till last quarter this year with a not released yet OS..... How many tens of million Ipads out there and are backward compatable to boot.... Hmmmmm.....

To show how far down RIM has fallen.... I found it interesting when I purchased my HP Touchpad with WebOS... guess what it had Skype before they even sold a unit......

Need to face realty.... until RIM standardized their OS to their hardware... why should any major app developer even bother?????

[SammH421]

I know what you mean! I had a bb 8520 running os 5 and there was a paypal app which worked fine. When i had my 9800 torch and my now 9790 bold, it wouldn't work because it was just for the os 5 and doesn't work for 6 or 7! it's annoying and i hope the developers catch on to this!

Sent from my BlackBerry 9790 using Tapatalk

[EdY]

I am a developer of apps and have made one for the Playbook. I am working on more apps for the Playbook and wanted to give my perspective on this thread.

First, there should be NO reason why anyone developing in HTML5 or using PhoneGap or jQuery should not port over their apps to Playbook or the newer Blackberry phones. Just do a google search for these and you will see how easy it is. As a developer, you have to look at how the screen-formatting and orientation will work on the various devices. But with these tools and some thinking ahead, that is a minor inconvenience compared to the potential number of users that your app could reach. The actual "logic" and core programming of the app rarely needs to be tweaked. The same app could work on all platforms.

Also, usually it is a bit of a hassle to sign up as a developer for the AppWorlds on iOS, Android and Blackberry. You need a bunch of signing keys and manage various accounts. Again, minor inconveniences if you want to add millions of more users as potential customers. I mean, even if 1% of 1 million extra users pay 99 cents for your app, you have just made $10,000 for a few hours of work required to compile and sign up to a different platform. Pretty good return!

I am using WebWorks as it is the easiest to pick up, coming from a Web-development and graphics design background. Fortunately RIM/Blackberry WebWorks has one of the BEST webkit implementations on Playbook, supports jQuery and with PhoneGap-Cordova you have easy ways to create a nice interactive user interface and also access various functions like camera, accelerometer, and so on. The best part, ALL OF THIS IS FREE!!!

Anyone who is considering to extend their Web-development skills into stand-alone app creation can code in HTML5/Javascript/CSS coupled with jQuery and PhoneGap and basically make apps for *ALL* platforms. Phonegap even converts your app and compiles it for all the different platforms automatically. Therefore, I see no reason why all developers working in that environment shouldn't make their app available for all platforms that support it.

Not to mention Adobe AIR SDK which is also on Playbook is being used for development on other platforms also. Therefore, there should be no reason why people coding in Adobe AIR/Flash can't port their stuff over. I mean, Native SDK can be hard to learn and therefore it may be why developers stuck in one OS environment don't want to start learning a totally new one just to port over their apps.... but Native SDK is only one way to code. Adobe and WebWorks give people cross-transferable skills.

Personally, once I get my handle on creating more HTML5/CSS/Javascript apps, using jQuery, I will try to convert things over to Android and maybe iOS as well. It is easier I think for Android, but iOS apparently requires that I own a Mac and use Mac software which I don't have. Therefore, I will continue to code for the Playbook and maybe even the newer Blackberry phones with HTML5 webkit, and port to Android in time. But for now I stick to Blackberry because those are the devices I own and find I can test things the easiest on.

The more "sophisticated" apps like Skype and Netflix are going to have to be developed using Native SDK because of more low-level functions needed, and also for speed. That's probably why developers are not easily moving things over. That's my take on things.

[Tre Lawrence]

So... as noted, it boils down to ROI, which boils down to the benjamins.

*cue the "but there's millions to made on BBOS" swan songs...*

[russnash]

Also bb more difficult to develop for with all the different screen sizes resolutions its harder to maintain.

As a developer myself I would like to point out that this isn't the hurdle that you might think it is. I have only one version of my apps and simply code them to retrieve the screen width and height and then apply some simple math to determine the ideal screen layout for the device it is running on. The same code is also used to handle orientation changes.