BlackBerry PlayBook "Will Also Support Android Apps" Says RIM Rep [Video]

A BlackBerry rep has seemingly confirmed that the PlayBook tablet will indeed run Android apps, as rumored over the past few weeks. The demonstrator told MobileMondayRio that "we will also support Android apps when we release the Dalvik engine on top of QNX" during MWC 2011.Video after the cut

Somewhat confusingly, the demonstrator suggests that RIM will use the Dalvik virtual machine – as used on Android devices – on the QNX slate, something initially rumored but then later contradicted. RIM was said to be cautious of the ongoing litigation between Google and Oracle, and so had worked up a home-grown app engine of its own instead.

However they're doing it, this new tidbit adds fuel to a fire that looks unlikely to die down before the PlayBook's launch later in 2011. Last week, the developer of Android app ShopSavvy discovered several mentions of BlackBerry handsets in its app logs, suggesting RIM was internally testing Android compatibility.

[via AndroidCommunity]