Highly praised during its golden age for the speed and security it employed in relaying messages via its Push feature, BlackBerry is preparing to address an issue that has caused many devotees to flee to other mobile platforms -- lack of apps in the Amazon Appstore.
All the applications BlackBerry users have craved will be included in the latest BlackBerry OS update.
BlackBerry users will gain direct access to the more than 200,000 apps available in Amazon's Appstore and will finally enjoy the ability to download popular apps such as Netflix, Minecraft and Groupon.
BlackBerry reached a licensing agreement with Amazon, which brings Amazon's Appstore to BlackBerry devices when BlackBerry OS 10.3 launches in fall 2014. With Amazon's immense library of multimeda well-established, BlackBerry announced that it would close the music and video section of BlackBerry World on July 21 -- downloaded content won't be affected by closure.
The official arrival of Amazon's Appstore on BlackBerry will undoubtedly be greeted with open arms by many, as some users reportedly gained limited access to the store in late 2013 when BlackBerry OS 10.2.1.1055 leaked. BlackBerry has long supported Android API, but the official release of the Amazon Appstore serves as the top floor in what has been a stepped-progression to Android compatibility.
BlackBerry OS 10.2.1 simplified the process of installing Android apps on BlackBerry devices. Before that, users had to convert Android apps into BlackBerry format and install the converted software via command-line interpreters.
Exact terms of the licensing agreement between Amazon and BlackBerry haven't been released, leaving unclear details such as which party will manage apps in BlackBerry World. In a June 18 post on BlackBerry's Developer Blog, the company seemed to encourage developers to migrate to the Amazon Appstore.
BlackBerry stated the Amazon Appstore would give BlackBerry developers a larger audience, provide a new opportunity to monetize apps and deliver access to "powerful promotional tools."
"We understand this is a significant change in our developer ecosystem strategy, and we are committed to working with you to make sure you understand the changes -- and the opportunities," stated the blog post. "If you desire, BlackBerry and Amazon will provide support to help you migrate your BlackBerry applications to the Amazon Appstore this summer. Developing for the Amazon Appstore will enable you to quickly and easily reach a larger user base."
BlackBerry stated that it planned to reveal a new program for the development of enterprise apps and encouraged developers to "seize the opportunity" created by news of the company's licensing agreement with Amazon.
