Blackberry can not boast of too many apps submitted to its online store. In fact, it has already been overrun by the recently released iPad. Of course, it means that front-end users when buying a Blackberry smartphone have far fewer opportunities to choose from but it seems that it is possible to find necessary things out of 7,000 apps delivered by the store. Besides, keeping to a number one platform in the US (Blackberry still enjoys the first place in the USA smartphone sales) can be a powerful incentive to join the crowd.
Referring to the number of Blackberry apps, RIM’s representatives always claim that an app before submitting to the App World has to pass several stages of the company’s approval as RIM has to ensure submissions meet both content and quality standards. Although RIM’s application submitting policy is not that strict comparing to Apple’s one, it also poses some quality and performance restrictions, so a user can enjoy a quality and well-designed app. Some minor drawbacks of the App World also include a necessity to have PayPal payment account to both submit applications for consideration and purchase them.
But the main disadvantage of Blackberry apps is based on the overall unattractiveness of the platform for developers. The OS software seems rather obsolete presenting very little abilities for developers and designers. Besides, the Blackberry App World lacks such a good monetization policy as Apple presented for its developers. We can only hope that the next overhaul that the company is planning for this fall will considerably revamp not only the OS and the hardware itself but will provide a range of incentives for developers as well. And a next Blackberry user will buy a gadget not to join the crowd and have something in common with the American President but because the platform delivers a range of extremely original features and innovative possibilities.