When RIM launch the BlackBerry PlayBook, it will be capable of running Android apps. This information comes from a press release sent out yesterday by RIM.
“The BlackBerry PlayBook is an amazing tablet. The power that we have embedded creates one of the most compelling app experiences available in a mobile computing device today,” said Mike Lazaridis, President and Co-CEO at Research In Motion. “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.”
Apps wont work out of the box, but instead will require that developers on the Android platform port those apps over. The way to do this has been described as being easy and relatively quick as the API on QNX has a high degree of compatibility with Android.
Developers will simply repackage, code sign and submit their BlackBerry Java and Android apps to BlackBerry App World. Once approved, the apps will be distributed through BlackBerry App World
At the moment, it appears that only Android 2.3 apps will work, and there is no mention of 3.0 Honeycomb being ported over just yet. We suspect that RIM will want this to happen as Android apps designed for a tablet would be better on the PlayBook, rather than an upscaled phone sized app.
The PlayBook is launching on April 19 in the US and Canada.
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