BlackBerrys With QNX To Get Android Apps

RIM's future BlackBerry smartphones with the new QNX platform may be able to run Android apps. According to Bloomberg, three people familiar with the situation, divulged this plan as RIM's strategy to boost sales for the QNX BlackBerry devices scheduled for early 2012.

The BlackBerry PlayBook tablet already runs on the QNX platform and has been announced in the past to support Android apps using a special Android app player. At the time, RIM did not confirm whether this functionality would extend to its smartphones as well. Now, it's believed that this same Android app player will be used in the QNX BlackBerry smartphones, but will be tweaked to fit the smaller screen size.

RIM plans to preload the QNX phones with the Android app player so that Android app compatibility will be enabled on launch to avoid criticism of slow updates. The PlayBook has been criticized for many lacking features since its debut and has since been slow to incorporate the missing features through updates. The promised Android app player for the PlayBook has also yet to arrive, but is expected to come later this year.

Additionally, the PlayBook is expected to get an update in September that will finally add dedicated email and BlackBerry messenger apps.

[via Bloomberg]