Waterloo,
Ontario – The BlackBerry PlayBook tablet will be able this summer to run
BlackBerry smartphone apps and Android apps ported by their developers to run
on the tablet’s OS, Research In Motion (RIM) announced.
Developers
will be able to easily port their current apps to run on the BlackBerry Tablet
OS because of a high degree of API compatibility, RIM said.
The development potentially enables the
PlayBook to run more than 25,000 BlackBerry smartphone apps and more than
200,000 Android apps already on the market, the company said.
In the summer, RIM will launch two optional
“app players” that will run Java-based BlackBerry smartphone apps and Android
v2.3 apps. The app players will enable PlayBook downloading of the apps from
the BlackBerry App World online store. More information and demonstrations of
the app players will be available at the company’s BlackBerry World show in
Orlando, Fla., on May 3-5.
Developers
will repackage, code sign and submit their BlackBerry Java and Android apps to
BlackBerry App World, RIM said. Once approved, the apps will be downloadable
through the BlackBerry App World online store.
“The upcoming addition of BlackBerry Java and Android apps for the
BlackBerry PlayBook on BlackBerry App World will provide our users with an even
greater choice of apps and will also showcase the versatility of the platform.”
said Mike Lazaridis, president and co-CEO.
