14 DAY TRIAL // BlackBerry users have been struggling to find some of the most popular applications and games on their favorite platform, but it looks like the wait is finally over now that the Canadian company announced a new partnership with Amazon.
Under agreement, BlackBerry users will be able to access Amazon Appstore, which contains more than 200,000 Android applications and games.
This will be effective this falls, but BlackBerry did not share any details on the exact date that its users will be able to access the Amazon Appstore.
“We’ve heard your appeals for access to more applications for your BlackBerry 10 device and we are delivering. We have announced a licensing agreement for the Amazon Appstore to bring more than 200,000 Android apps to you this fall when the BlackBerry 10.3 operating system launches,” says John Chen.
Basically, BlackBerry smartphone owners will be able to access two different app stores beginning this fall, Amazon Appstore and BlackBerry World.
Lots of popular apps and games that have yet to be ported on BlackBerry will be accessible in their Android version via Amazon Appstore. Groupon, Netflix, Pinterest, Candy Crush Saga and Minecraft, just to name a few, will be accessible via Amazon’s applications store.
But that is not all, as BlackBerry has announced that its Music and Video services will be shut down, but users will be able to access these types of services through a number of popular third-party services available via Amazon Appstore and BlackBerry World.
“While BlackBerry World will continue to offer music and video services via third party applications – again giving you more choices for your valued content - we will be closing the music and video sections of our store on July 21st. Don’t worry! Previously downloaded content will be available after that date through MyWorld,” added Chen.
Unfortunately, BlackBerry’s decision to sign an agreement with Amazon for its Appstore is a double-edged sword. Even though BlackBerry users will have more choices at their disposal, developers will probably stop creating BlackBerry apps and will prefer to monetize their software on the Android platform.
Many developers who sell their products for a small price on BlackBerry World, but offer the same app for free on Android platform have to suffer from low income as well.
Still, it looks like the Canadian company is now doing everything it can for BlackBerry users, even if their number crumbled to a single-digit percent of the market share in the last couple of years.