Someone asked me the other day if I was getting excited about BlackBerry 10 as its launch early next year gets closer.
I said that I wasn’t necessarily excited, but, that I was eagerly anticipating the release. They asked my why I wasn’t excited, and, after thinking about it for a moment, I said, “There aren’t any apps that we know of that anyone needs to get excited about”…
In my opinion, it is as important for BlackBerry 10 to be an application delivery system that rivals Windows Phone and Android when it comes to big name cross platform apps as it is for it to be a mobile operating system that approaches the polish of iOS.
If BlackBerry 10 turns out to be the best mobile operation system ever it will still fail miserably if there aren’t any good apps. And, if the top free and the top paid BlackBerry PlayBook apps are indicative of what we will see when BlackBerry 10 ships, the narrative for RIM really doesn’t change.
Where are the apps that will truly move the needle for BlackBerry 10?
There is no question that RIM is on a mission to get every developer developing for BlackBerry 10.
Our own @BlackBerryHank is headed off to BlackBerry Jam next week in San Jose, and, we hope that he is able to report on a plethora of BlackBerry Apps coming down the pike for BlackBerry 10.
RIM, however, needs to pivot from a message of what can be developed for BlackBerry 10 to a message of what is actually being developed for BlackBerry 10. We want to hear about FlipBoard for BlackBerry 10, Netflix for BlackBerry 10, LinkedIn for BlackBerry 10, Skype for BlackBerry 10…
Will there be a Google+ client for BlackBerry 10, Google Maps for BlackBerry 10, LastPass for BlackBerry 10, Etrade for BlackBerry 10? Will my bank have a mobile banking client for BlackBerry 10. Will I be able to pay my utility bills with an app on BlackBerry 10?
These are the questions that RIM needs to start answering about BlackBerry 10, and, maybe BlackBerry Jam will be the place where answers start to flow.
For me, excitement for BlackBerry 10 comes with the feeling of no longer having to sacrifice application support if you chose to use a BlackBerry. We aren’t there yet…
Hopefully news out of BlackBerry Jam will move the needle a bit…
To be clear you are talking about Blackberry 10 Mobile phones but referencing BlackBerry Playbook apps. Right.
I think you are asking the wrong questions. You are asking 3rd party developers to build apps for a platform no on is adopting, Playbook. More over you are suggesting they should build for an OS, BB 10, that is a moving target.
Before Google, LastPass, ETrade, Flipboard, Microsoft of a host of other developers should build for BB 10 I think RIM needs to do more. Forget separating consumers and business users as they are all users and want more basic functionality. RIM could have purchased Snapseed that would be a great thing no one expects RIM to do. Make my Playbook or BB 10 device fun beyond a commercial
Where is RIM’s version of iPhoto for BlackBerry Playbook or BB 10?
Where is RIM’s video editor for Blackberry Playbook or BB 10?
Where is RIM’s Audio editor
Where is Pages, numbers, keynote (Word, Excel, Powerpoint)?
Where is RIM’s version of Siri or any voice commands for the PB or BB 10?
Let me be clear I love the current BlackBerry platform and I carry a BlackBerry and I have 3 published apps for BB OS 7 and below. RIM could build apps and functionality to draw both consumers and professional users. A good portfolio management app, a good Flipboard Styled Magazine app like Google’s, I don’t recall the name.
Where Microsoft says, “we are betting the farm” or “we are all in.” RIM seems to be hedging their bets. I don’t understand why they are not building key functionality to drive the platform. OH YEAH they cannot even finish the OS in a timely manner.
BBM is not going to make BB 10 a success. RIM needs to think bigger, build out base level functionality, and go all in.
I think we are saying a lot of the same things. I reference the BlackBerry PlayBook in this post just because apps can be written for the PlayBook which should be able to run on BlackBerry 10.
The fact that I don’t really see anything desirable for the PlayBook makes me question what’s coming for BlackBerry 10.
but consumers don’t want a ____-like app, they want the ____ app. If all their friends are on _____ app, no amount of _____-like app will resolve that conundrum. I agree with Robb 100% on this article. It could be the best phone in the world from a spec standpoint, but will flop if it can’t do what those platforms can do today… allow them to be just like their friends. Allow them to play the same games. Allow them to interact with their friends with the device of their choosing. That is the situation in a nutshell. You can only get away with like apps for Twitter and Facebook. Nothing more. My biggest issue with 9800/9810/9860 was that there were no apps to take advantage of their touchscreen really and the fact that apps on even WindowsPhone were not available on BlackBerry. Many have that same issue with them.
This has to be a comedy club I swear. Listen folks , I understand that the need for 1000 apps on your smart phone and tablet is the holy grail as the deciding factor in one’s purchase of a mobile device. I understand that you must have certain apps available on that device for it to be even considered a major player in the current phone/tablet market.
We can debate this all day and night and then another day and night.
BB10 will be fine folks , RIM clearly understands it needs some of the top apps out there in order to gain the interest of consumers. But I must say that it is a very sad world that one would have over 100 apps on there device and only use 5 daily. ” oh I got 50 apps on my phone” so what , I haven’t seen you do nothing on that phone but take pictures, post em on Facebook , use Twitter and text people. Lol , it’s nice to have a wide variety of apps but it’s sooo overrated. SMH
What are the top 5-7 apps the average user uses daily on there smart phone and tablet?
Dude, this is that attitude that has RIM in that situation that is in. Why is it that the only people who will tell you apps don’t matter because you will only use 5 to 7 of them are people that have decided to use a platform that only has 5 to 7 apps?
RIM, flat out, lost the privilege of telling people there next OS would be fine after releasing OS 6, then releasing BlackBerry 7, and damaging the companies reputation and standing in the market so much that it has moved from first place as recently as 2010 to questionable if RIM will exist by 2014.
I was a die-hard BlackBerry user and a former BlackBerry Administrator at my company. I say former because so many people at my company switched to using iPhones and Android that my company decided to sunset our last BES server.
Now, my title is mobile administrator and I get to see up close and personal everyday how people use smartphones and tablets… Trust me when I tell you that apps matter. They matter more than the operating system ever will.
Actually, I use more than just a BlackBerry phone and tablet and I must tell you that I have all access to apps on IOS and in the droid market. I choose BlackBerry not for it’s app selection but for the simple reason that it fits me best. Now as of that post I kinda settled down some and have a true understandin
Apps!