One of the reasons why BlackBerry’s handsets have been struggling in the market is because there’s a significant “app gap.” Consumers have come to expect unimaginable numbers of apps at their fingertips, which can easily be found on iOS and Android. Other platforms like BlackBerry and even Windows Phone are trying hard to catch up, but there’s still a significant gap to be covered. It seems that BlackBerry might be placing a bet on Android, while it has no plans of launching Android powered smartphones, its BlackBerry World app repository may soon start accepting apps developed for Google’s mobile operating system.
The upcoming BB OS 10.2.1 update, a major update that’s set to bring new features, is expected to add a new section to BB World where all native Android applications will be listed. The Android runtime is also expected to be upgraded, meaning that users will be able to run newer apps as well. It has been rumored that BlackBerry has been courting developers to upload their Android apps on to BB World, this according to Good e-Reader, which claims to have heard this from a few game developers at the International Consumer Electronics Show 2014 last week in Las Vegas. BlackBerry is expected to release the OS 10.2.1 update in the coming months.
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