The rumors are true, RIM has come forward this afternoon with details on the BlackBerry PlayBook application support. Both BlackBerry Java and Android apps will grace the slate launching April 19th in North America. Say hello to over 200,000 Android apps my PlayBook friends.
Here’s the scoop. For Android developers hoping to cash in on the PlayBook there will be two optional “app players”. Put simply, these “app players” allow you to download BlackBerry Java apps and Android apps (version 2.3) and run them on the BlackBerry PlayBook.
For existing BlackBerry and Android developers, RIM has promised quick and easy porting to the BlackBerry Tablet OS “thanks to a high degree of API compatibility”. Now the catch, the new app players will not be available for demo until BlackBerry World in early May. Also, the Android apps mentioned in the press release are version 2.3, Gingerbread.
A bittersweet announcement, we know, but still promising nonetheless. Having access to Android apps on the BlackBerry PlayBook should certainly spark some interest, don’t you think?
