PCR Tech and IT retail, distribution and vendor news
As BlackBerry launched its newest operating system, the firm claimed it would feature over 70,000 bespoke apps. Turns out, they may have told a little porkie.
Following the event, a number of Android’s own employees spoke of the frantic process behind producing the apps, many of which have been revealed to be rushed ports of Android applications.
BlackBerry’s vice president of global alliances and business development, Martyn Mallick, confessed to reporters following the event that "40 per cent of BB10 apps are wrapped Android applications".
Mallick also revealed that the firm’s recent Port-a-thin initiative played a big role in the app creation process, with individuals with any functional app being able to sell it to the firm by producing a version compatible with BB10 using the firm’s own porting tools.
Outside of these rehashed applications, a number of ‘apps’ available on the OS are simply portals to mobile versions of web sites.
Obviously, given that BB10 only launched last night, it’s only natural for there to be a number of hastily converted and sparsely featured apps.
But still, BlackBerry’s claim of 70,000 ‘bespoke apps’ is a very tall one indeed.
Want to receive up-to-the-minute tech news straight to your inbox? Then click here to sign up for the completely free PCR Daily Digest and Newsflash email services. You can also follow PCR on Twitter and Facebook.
