RIM, the creator of the BlackBerry is rumored to be adding Android app compatibility to their upcoming new line of smartphones, according to sources close to the company.
Essentially, RIM hopes to make its new QNX software compatible with Google Android, which RIM hope will boost its dying platform. Currently, RIM’s App World has roughly 25,000 apps on its market – less than Windows Phone which has been a market competitor for far less time.
The apparent goal is to give BlackBerry users the ability to access the 250,000 apps that Android boasts so that its users can get the best possible experience. Neither RIM or Google have confirmed the rumors as of yet, but it would likely be welcomed by Google to have the BlackBerry platform on board, so that Android can expand further.
Steven Li, a Raymond James Ltd. analyst said “Being able to run Android apps, that’s a big plus. If you get the tonnage of Android apps and the top 50 apps through BlackBerry’s App World, that addresses many of the concerns people have about RIM’s ecosystem.”
RIM has confirmed that the Blackberry Playbook, which is set to be powered by the same QNX software, will be Android compatible which suggests that the rumour is likely true.
In the company’s second quarter they fell by 7% in global market share, leaving Android and iOS to continue gaining ground, making BlackBerry trail behind.
12 Comments - Add comment