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After the PlayBook launched Tuesday morning and people began to fire up App World, there was a lot of disappointment in the air. People were expecting the PlayBook to have access to both Android and BlackBerry OS apps. Now, this is something that we have discussed before and we think RIM has done a pretty good job of making clear up to this point. With all the questions and negative feedback that RIM has been getting about apps for the PlayBook, they have released a post on the Inside BlackBerry Developer Blog detailing apps for the PlayBook.

The article goes into much more detail, but I want to summarize the points for you here. First, RIM really wants you to build PlayBook-specific apps using either WebWorks or Adobe AIR. That’s the preferred method and quite frankly, the only method, until app players come later this year. Next is the question of Android apps on the PlayBook. To clarify a question that I have already been asked numerous times. No, the Android Market will not be available on the PlayBook!!! Android developers will have to repackage their existing Android apps to meet RIM’s specifications and then those apps will be submitted and distributed through App World. These “Android” apps will play through the “Android App Player” that RIM plans to release this summer.

And lastly, concerning existing BlackBerry apps for OS 5.0 and 6.0. These applications will have to be submitted to RIM for distribution through App World on the PlayBook. These apps will have to be repackaged to meet the requirements for PlayBook distribution. The “BlackBerry App Player” will be available, as quoted by RIM, “later in the year.” So, right now the list of available apps on the PlayBook is small. As more developers begin to work with both WebWorks and Adobe AIR, the number of apps will grow. Then when summer rolls around and Android developers can begin submitting their apps, App World will grow some more. And when “later this year” finally comes around, App World for PlayBook will grow even more with native BlackBerry apps. It’s just going to take time. You don’t think that when Apple started the App Store it had 300,000 apps, do you?

• Check out the Q&A at Inside BlackBerry Developer’s Blog

Source: Inside BB DevBlog

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Justin Lisenby

Editor-In-Cheif at TheBerryFix.com

Justin Lisenby started out writing for TheBerryFix back in 2009. He was already an avid BlackBerry fan and his knowledge only grew as he started writing for the site. He moved up quickly in both BlackBerry knowledge and editorial prowess, and quickly moved up to Senior Editor. In 2012, Justin was elevated to Editor-In-Chief of TheBerryFix and he now runs the operations, while still writing and editing for the site.

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