On the principle “Can’t beat them? Join them!” BlackBerry announced today that it’s partnering with Amazon to provide BlackBerry 10 users access to the e-tailer’s AppStore.
BlackBerry World won’t disappear as the result of this collaboration, even though this app ecosystem has been criticized for having only a few popular apps, while hosting a plethora of low-value ones. Instead, Amazon’s AppStore will merely be complementary. The Android compatibility layer has been rolled out in January, but until now, BlackBerry 10 users didn’t really have access to Android apps. Things will definitely get a different turn now that the AppStore opened its doors now, thus providing access to more than 200,000 Android apps.
On its blog, BlackBerry pointed out that its customers will now have access to previously unavailable apps: “You will be able to access popular apps such as Groupon, Netflix, Pinterest, Candy Crush Saga and Minecraft. We’re excited to be working with Amazon to deliver the apps and content that you’ve been looking for. It’s an exciting new day for BlackBerry 10 device owners.”
The Canadian company brought to public attention the fact that it will shut down the music and video sections of BlackBerry World on July 21. It may be too soon to tell, but BlackBerry might also be working on another deal regarding the streaming services of the Seattle-based e-tailer. For the time being, however, BlackBerry 10 users are offered the opportunity to access music and video services through third-party apps available on Amazon AppStore: “In addition to the greater selection of apps, you will be able to access video and music services through a number of popular third party services available through the Amazon Appstore and BlackBerry World.”
Many regard BlackBerry’s partnership with Amazon as a safety net for the Canadian firm. After all, it did seem like BlackBerry will go bankrupt, and a poor app ecosystem could’ve only made things worse. Thankfully, the company realized that there’s an exit out of this situation, and turned its attention to Google’s mobile operating system. While using Android exclusively would’ve caused some BlackBerry users to look elsewhere for what they need (the Canadian company gained fame for its encrypted communication protocols), but providing some sort of emulation might be just enough for keeping everyone happy. This recent deal with Amazon will hopefully help BlackBerry to get on the right track, again.
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