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BlackBerry 10 opens doors to Android Jelly Bean apps

Simulating success this summer

BlackBerry 10 opens doors to Android Jelly Bean apps
Not content with its library of native apps, BlackBerry has announced it is to extend its support for Android to include version 4.1 and onwards, better known as Jelly Bean.

In short, that means developers working on Android apps for the latest version of the platform will easily be able to deploy them on BlackBerry when its own update – version 10.2 – is available "later in the summer".

Feature fix

"I'm happy to satisfy your sweet tooth with the Beta release of the BlackBerry Runtime for Android Apps and Plug-in for Android Development Tools for BlackBerry 10.2," details BlackBerry on its development blog.

"If you didn't get the hint, this release includes the first beta release of Android 4.2.2 (Jelly Bean).

"All the great features that were previously available in Gingerbread will continue to be supported, as well as some specific Jelly Bean OS features such as fragments, embedded fragments, animation framework and hardware acceleration.

"Keep in mind this is the first beta release, and there will bound to be some bugs as we work our way towards the gold release later in the summer."

The news comes three months after BlackBerry announced BlackBerry 10 had passed 100,000 apps, with Android ports utilising the platform's emulation engine accounting for around 20 percent.

'Hate'

There had been some claims, however, that many of the apps didn't run properly on BlackBerry 10 handsets, leading to consumer complaints.

Indeed, in an interview with CNET back in May, BlackBerry development head Alec Saunders admitted that consumers "hate" BlackBerry 10's line-up of ported Android apps.

"From a commercial perspective, users hate them," said Saunders. "Our partners who have ported apps get dinged for them."

Nonetheless, for developers looking to bring their Jelly Bean apps across, BlackBerry advises they download the 10.2 beta SDK OS, with support for the full device simulator coming in the summer.

[source: BlackBerry]

With a fine eye for detail, Keith Andrew is fuelled by strong coffee, Kylie Minogue and the shapely curve of a san serif font.