BlackBerry PlayBook To Run Android Apps

In a move that indicates its strategy of cross-platform integration, BlackBerry maker Research In Motion (RIM) has officially announced that its upcoming tablet, the PlayBook, will run BlackBerry Java as well asAndroid apps! This essentially means that all PlayBook users will have access to over 200,000 apps of the Android app store. Surely, this is a sweet, sweet deal for all prospective PlayBook owners.

However, access to all the Android apps will be available through the BlackBerry App World only, meaning that developers will have to sign and resubmit their “ported” apps first, should they choose to do so. Also, RIM has mentioned support only for Android 2.3 apps so far, with no mention of Android 3.0 yet. Simultaneously, RIM will be releasing the native PlayBook SDK soon, meaning that developers can start creating apps exclusively very soon.We had reported earlier about RIM’s alleged plan to bring its coveted BBM service to other mobile platforms such as iOS, Android etc. While that particular move has not yet seen fruition, this move from the Canadian firm maybe a warm up move to a broader strategy of cross-platform integration, which might include us seeing the BBM come to other mobile platforms soon. Either way, will the availability of the Android apps be enough to get people buying the PlayBook when it releases? What do our readers think?

source from:gigjets.com