Things are really heating up now that the countdown to the launch of BlackBerry 10 has started. The latest development is an interview RIM’s CEO, Thorsten Heins, gave Reuters. In it he reiterates a few things that I have been saying for awhile. The most important one in my opinion is this one:
"The tactic we are deploying is by country and by region. We are aiming to have the most important 200 to 400 apps available, because many applications are regional and they really do have a regional flavor,"
Heins said RIM is focused on offering them most popular applications that are relevant to BlackBerry users who he says are “hyper connected multitaskers who need to get things done.” Sounds about right! Here is to hoping that he gets the apps I need onto BlackBerry 10.
He also mentions what I have been saying for awhile which is that the number of apps on each platform really does not show you anything. Take Android or iOS for example and you can pretty much state that 90% of those apps are pretty much useless which is similar to App World. What’s really key is having the quality apps that people are looking for and use every day. I know RIM is working behind the scenes to woo larger developers while they work on a more public front. Heins would not detail any more big title apps beyond the WebEx, Box, Blackboard, etc that they have already revealed stating that:
"Allow me to talk to you about this on January 30, otherwise I’m losing a lot of thunder,"
I am glad to hear he is holding back but I really cannot wait to see what they have available at launch. Check out the full interview here.
PS: I am still curious why they won’t come out and mention DropBox… It’s pretty much a given already.
Todd Not Registered
Posted: November 15, 2012 at 5:44 PM EST
I’ll tell you why they don’t mention DropBox. They’ve got to draw the line somewhere. Simple as that. Then why not tell us about this one… and that one… and so on etc… It’s just better to not offer a hook that someone can pull on.
gokulesh ( View Profile) - Posts: 45
Posted: November 16, 2012 at 6:47 PM EST
Bang on!
BeRRyMaTe Not Registered
Posted: November 15, 2012 at 8:37 PM EST from my BlackBerry 9900 | OS 7.1.0.714
This is personally to Heins: I’ve been on blackberry since 2006 (6yrs), waiting for BB10 and if I can get skype or some form of app that would connect to skype to be on app world, I will sure be opting out of blackberry for good.
Puz_zled Not Registered
Posted: November 15, 2012 at 9:15 PM EST from my BlackBerry PlayBook | OS 2.1.0
You DO realize that saying stuff like this just makes it harder for RIM to negotiate with Microsoft to get what they already know you want.
Kevin Not Registered
Posted: November 15, 2012 at 10:47 PM EST
I have Skype on my Android tablet.. never used it once.
Give me a couple of good calling apps and I’m good. Video calling is something I’ve never cared for.
bizon Not Registered
Posted: November 15, 2012 at 11:49 PM EST
One of the main reason at least 10ppl on my bbm switched to ios or android is cause of skype. They are always traveling and want to keep intouch with family at home..so skype would be a big bonus for bb
veeru789 Not Registered
Posted: November 16, 2012 at 12:51 AM EST
with video chat on BBM 10 and voice dialing already available on BBM7, i dont care for skype
G-man ( View Profile) - Posts: 100
Posted: November 16, 2012 at 3:03 AM EST from my BlackBerry PlayBook | OS 2.1.0
Yeah, if you don’t want to get on 10, I don’t want to see your face anyway.
ofutur ( View Profile) - Posts: 1186
Posted: November 16, 2012 at 8:20 AM EST
This looks like a smokescreen…
Sure, you want to make the 5% market share you still hold happy, but you want to increase it to 15% and so need to look at what these other 10% use on other platforms.
They sure aren’t using BBM and couldn’t care less about single platform VoIP and messaging. They want Skype, Google Maps, Instagram, Lastpass, Facebook, Flipboard, Google+, Path, DLNA media players, Hulu, Netflix, Linkedin, etc.
One thing which is reassuring though is that BB10 is a good gaming platform, so since those are the most popular apps, it’s quite likely that people will at least take a look at BB10.
Joe257 ( View Profile) - Posts: 628
Posted: November 16, 2012 at 11:06 AM EST from my BlackBerry PlayBook | OS 2.1.0
I think Heins should not hold back spilling the beans on apps. We need to get folks excited about BB10, and RIM doesn’t really control app availability. It would be great to launch BB10 with 20,000 apps! Optically, it’s far better than Windows 8!
ofutur ( View Profile) - Posts: 1186
Posted: November 17, 2012 at 12:42 PM EST
If RIM needs to avoid the situation described by this reviewer on Ars Technica at all costs or BB10 is DOA for consumers:
“For a start, there’s the whole app problem. Yes, the Windows Phone Store has lots of apps—more than 100,000. The raw number is fine, but it’s also beside the point. It’s not the number that matters, it’s the apps themselves. Microsoft has certainly made great strides here. The store is moving in the right direction, but there are still critical gaps. The company says that of the top 50 smartphone apps, Windows Phone has 46. The missing four are Instagram, Pinterest, Voxer, and Wells Fargo’s banking application.
The fourth in that list points at a much broader set of omissions. Visit your local Starbucks and there’s probably an ad somewhere for the Starbucks app. The brick-and-mortar store promotes the use of an app to pay for your purchases and track your rewards. The app is available for iOS and Android—but not Windows Phone. This does two things: it means that non-Windows Phone users have less awareness that Windows Phone exists, and it means that Windows Phone users are left out.
It doesn’t even matter if many of these apps see relatively low levels of usage; there’s a perception issue that’s important. For Windows Phone to not even be listed, not even be an option, is a huge problem. Filling this gap in particular is, I think, Microsoft’s key app challenge.”
http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2012/11/windows-phone-8-review-microsoft-lays-a-foundation-for-success/5/
Crim Not Registered
Posted: November 16, 2012 at 9:20 AM EST
“Allow me to talk to you about this on January 30, otherwise I’m losing a lot of thunder,”
…Heheh, Thor … God of Thunder.
Joe257 ( View Profile) - Posts: 628
Posted: November 19, 2012 at 3:21 PM EST
Nice! I’m glad you caught that. I wonder if he planned that
Joe257 ( View Profile) - Posts: 628
Posted: November 16, 2012 at 10:27 AM EST from my BlackBerry PlayBook | OS 2.1.0
It’s not nice to say that 90% of apps are useless. I understand what Heins is trying today, but there is a better way to convey that message. The message must be that all apps are important.
Ronen Halevy ( View Profile) - Posts: 3408
Posted: November 16, 2012 at 10:31 AM EST
It may not be nice but just take Apple’s app store. Stats show that over two thirds of the apps have probably never been downloaded once
http://gigaom.com/europe/app-store-infested-with-zombie-software-claims-analytics-startup-adeven/
ofutur ( View Profile) - Posts: 1186
Posted: November 16, 2012 at 10:34 AM EST
Yep, that’s why it’s so important for indie devs to have apps available at launch
Joe257 ( View Profile) - Posts: 628
Posted: November 16, 2012 at 10:39 AM EST from my BlackBerry PlayBook | OS 2.1.0
Ronen, I fully understand where he’s coming from but RIM needs to encourge app developers not discourage them. Certainly, I wouldn’t want my apps to be considered “useless” by the BlackBerry head honcho. Despite what folks system, there is value in numbers. It was fantastic when App World went over 100,000 apps. Numbers do matter even if I won’t personally download half of them.
jhspears ( View Profile) - Posts: 33
Posted: November 16, 2012 at 11:08 AM EST
It’s all about the quality of apps and not the quantity.
BBB2 Not Registered
Posted: November 16, 2012 at 12:08 PM EST
OK, so far so good, but what about Skype, Netflix, TeamViewer that actually works and SLINGBOX!
Joe257 ( View Profile) - Posts: 628
Posted: November 19, 2012 at 3:22 PM EST
What’s a SLINGBOX? Just kidding, I know what it is, but if it has Skype, as PlayStations do and XBOX, I think BB10 should have it too.