The new BlackBerry operating system won't be plagued by the fragmentation issues that prove troublesome for Android, according to the company previously known as RIM.
Speaking to CNET UK at the launch of the Z10 and Q10 smart phones, BlackBerry's Andrew Bocking insisted that despite the company's two new devices having different-sized screens, developers wouldn't struggle to create apps that work across every BlackBerry 10 gadget.
On fragmentation, Bocking says, "We're very focused on making sure we minimise that for a developer audience.
"If you look at the Z10, and the physical keyboard device, the Q10, they share a similar LCD screen," the BlackBerry software product management bod said, "and that again is making sure it's easy for our BlackBerry 10 developer audience to build more applications."
BlackBerry has previously promised phones with Qwerty keyboards will have 720x720-pixel displays, whereas the company's touchscreen-only gadgets will have 720x1,280-pixel resolutions.
That's not including the recently revealed Z10 flagship, however, which has a 768x1,280-pixel screen -- apparently a quirk of the phone having been in development so long. Sounds to me like the different pixel count could annoy app-makers.
Bocking reckons having a virtual keyboard on touchscreen-only devices will make splicing apps across both smart phones simple, as the part of the display that's not taken up with on-screen keys will look identical to the same space on a Qwerty mobile.
I ask about games, which typically use all of a phone's touchscreen, and how that would translate to a mobile that was half-keyboard. "For pixel-perfect applications," Bocking said, "games really being the primary example of that, they will have to make changes to the layout just because of the screen size itself, overall, because there is a physical keyboard there.
"We've made it really really easy for [developers] to take their applications and make them available," Bocking said, though he did admit that game developers "will have a little more work to do".
"It's not a lot of work at all," he reassured me.
BlackBerry knows the success of its new operating system will come down to available apps -- where Android and iOS have an astonishing head-start. Rather than discussing processing power or display technology, BlackBerry's presentation today was all about software, and executive types who were more than happy to reel off big-name apps headed to BlackBerry 10 -- a list that included Skype, WhatsApp and Angry Birds.
But what if BlackBerry 10 doesn't take off? What if it's too little too late for the ailing firm, and its fledgling platform ends up squashed by the big boots of Android and iOS? BlackBerry has bet its last dollar on BB10, so I ask Bocking what the plan is if -- heaven forbid -- the new phones aren't popular?
"We're confident they will be."
Do you think BlackBerry 10 will be a success? Can it steal third place from Windows Phone, or is this the last we'll see of BlackBerry? Let me know in the comments, or on our Facebook wall.
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Comments 13
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balij007 30 January, 2013 19:21
We all can hope that BB10 live up to the expectations, but it is definitely the last shot From RIMM's Gun. If it fails to Deliver then Investor's will punish it and IT looks like they start punishing it and famousBreaking News we get today .. RIMM CHANGES ITS CORPORATE NAME TO BLACKBERRY(source)
http://wallstnews.blogspot.com/
Meleagru 30 January, 2013 22:54
It's all up to the marketing now. Sometimes it's not enough to have a good or great product if you can't sell it. Just look at HTC for the best example.
anonymous 31 January, 2013 11:07
It will fail, no one but hardcore BB fanboys will buy it. People that have android or IOS have no reason to buy it. Why would they leave a two perfectly good OS's for an inferior one that only has a handful of apps. Sure it has some neat features but that's just not enough.
anonymous 31 January, 2013 11:33
Totally agree with anonymous 31 January, 2013 11:07 above. There's nothing new to entice a new user there's only enough to keep hardcore fanboys!
anonymous 31 January, 2013 14:54
I don't use many apps, but I do send 1000s of texts and emails a month. Bring on the physical keyboard. cant wait to jump ship back to BlackBerry.
anonymous 1 February, 2013 12:26
I just like the look of the phone. I've had BBs before and hated their design, but this one, and the stability of BB's OS, I kinda dig...and I've been with Iphone for a couple years and just swithced to an Infuse...so depending on price I might make the jump.
anonymous 1 February, 2013 13:54
Lots of corporate IT departments currently prohibit employees from installing third-party apps on the Blackberry, for security reasons. Assuming that BB10 continues to allow IT departments to lock users out in this way, will this be a disincentive for developers to create new apps?
anonymous 1 February, 2013 14:00
I don't think the company's primary goal is to get iPhone and Android users to switch to Blackberry.
I think the primary goal is to ensure that corporate buyers remain committed to the Blackberry platform for their employees. Without a major upgrade, corporate buyers were looking more and more at switching to Android or simply going BYOD.
I think the real story will be what sort of improvements the company is making to the Blackberry Enterprise Server and to the Blackberry network, to complement the release of these new devices.
anonymous 1 February, 2013 14:06
Remember, Blackberry is still the only smartphone and tablet platform certified for use for the US government. That's a really big customer.
anonymous 1 February, 2013 14:38
i always liked the blackberry there phone and operating system never froze on my not once
like my android phone does all the time
Blackberry makes really good phones i like the new design for the toch screen blackberry
but only thing thats making me not want to get it is the APPS
if this does not save blackberry then i think blackberry should switch to android
they would probably sell a lot more then they will on there own OS
anonymous 1 February, 2013 15:02
BB never ever take iOS or Android costumer, it's too late when iOS and Android was running fast in any development...BB is not smartphone at all, just for chit chat with another BB devices...for works and entertainment BB is far behind from iOS, Android and Windows phone. I bet BB never catch the 3 muskeeters in smart phones...they hard to beat in anyway, design, technology even apps!
simonjphillips 2 February, 2013 21:54
Poster above : Have you tried BB10 then? How do you know it is not good for entrrtainment? You are talking out your asshole.
Cat San 3 February, 2013 01:08
@ Any 1/2/13 15.02
Didn't you see the presentation at all? BB are pushing the mediaside of the phone in a big way. it will be selling movies on it's App Store for one. The cameras take 1080p video and photo's so that shows how serious they are taking it. People have knocked the File system but if it is like the old BB's, it will play more file formats than Apple or Android do natively, not by having to pay for or dig thru a app store for something to do it for that OS. it's browser is the passed the Ring One test with a better score than Apple by 9 pts. On the HTML5 test it scored 400 while iOS only scored 300. Sure sounds like it's a smartphone to me.