Research In Motion (RIM) (Nasdaq: RIMM; TSX: RIM) recently announced plans to greatly expand the application ecosystem for the BlackBerry PlayBook. Developers wanting to bring their new and existing apps to the highly anticipated BlackBerry PlayBook tablet will soon have additional tools and options to enhance and expand their commercial opportunities.
Two optional “app players” that provide an application run-time environment for BlackBerry Java apps and Android v2.3 apps are scheduled to be launched. These will allow users to download BlackBerry Java apps and Android apps from BlackBerry App World and run them on their BlackBerry PlayBook.
With a high degree of API compatibility, developers for the BlackBerry or Android platforms will be able to quickly and easily port their apps to run on the BlackBerry Tablet OS. The new optional app players will be available for download from BlackBerry App World and will be placed in a secure “sandbox” on the BlackBerry PlayBook where the BlackBerry Java or Android apps can be run.
BlackBerry Java and Android apps will be repackaged and submitted to BlackBerry App World. The apps will then be distributed through BlackBerry App World, providing a new opportunity for many developers to reach BlackBerry PlayBook users.
The new app players for the BlackBerry PlayBook are expected to be available from BlackBerry App World this summer in the US and Canada.
Source: BlackBerry