BlackBerry Developer Evangelist and Z10 Users Talk Ported Android Apps

Many BlackBerry 10 apps in the BlackBerry World app store are really ported Android apps. BlackBerry Z10 users and a BlackBerry developer weigh in on the pros and cons of using Android apps on BlackBerry 10.

By Al Sacco
Tue, March 12, 2013

CIO — Last week I got an email from BlackBerry to let me know about a handful of new BlackBerry 10 app releases, as well as a few high-profile apps that will be available in the coming weeks and months. One upcoming app in particular caught my eye: Amazon Kindle, which is supposed to be released before the end of March.

Shortly after I received the message from BlackBerry I responded and asked if the Kindle app for BlackBerry 10 is native, meaning built specifically for BlackBerry, or a "ported" version of the Android app.

It took BlackBerry more than 24 hours to get back to me with what I thought would be a simple response. But when I heard back, the answer I got wasn't simple at all. Victoria Berry, a BlackBerry senior PR manager, answered my questionthe Kindle app will be a ported Android versionbut not without first asking why I cared.

My response: I care because my readers care, and it's my job to provide all of the information I can when I report on a subject.

The email exchange got me thinking about what exactly BlackBerry 10 users think of the current crop of Android apps in BlackBerry World. So I asked my Twitter followers, many of whom own Z10 devices if they care if a BlackBerry 10 app is native or an Android port. Rather than post all the responses I received, I embedded the most notable tweets.

@asacco I absolutely care. I get pissy when I pay for an app then find out its [sic] a android port. But if it works well, I cope lol.
— J. Duke, OSBB (@BerryInformed) March 11, 2013

@asacco I prefer Native 100% the overall experience is smoother and the integration with OS is much nicer.
— King, OSBB ë (Don) (@BlkScorp33) March 11, 2013

@asacco yes I do care. Android apps on BB10 show that BB is desperate and devs are cheap.
— Khalid AlMarri (@khalmarri) March 11, 2013

@asacco If it works, it works, I don't discriminate
— BBA Brian (@BBABrian) March 11, 2013

@asacco I will PAY for native apps. Ported apps I might pay .99 for but I'll look for native first.
— Stephen (@StephenBB81) March 11, 2013

@stephenbb81 @asacco I refuse to pay for ported android apps and would prefer not to even run them. Most of them are quite ugly.
— Joey Beechey ë (@joeybeechey) March 11, 2013

@asacco I used to, but after trying out some good ports, I don't mind anymore.
— JT Teran (@jt_teran) March 11, 2013

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