RIM will be updating its Blackberry PlayBook to run Android apps. The Canadian phone giant Research In Motion hopes that this update will make their tablet more alluring to the consumer. Rumor has it, RIM will also be dropping the tablet’s price to make it even more attractive to potential buyers, which proved to be an effective way to make a profit by HP with its discontinued TouchPad.
According to reports, the update will be rolling out to the PlayBook via OTA update within October. This will bring native email, contacts apps, calendar apps, and the much awaited Android app player.
If this is true, then RIM would have solved its tablet’s problem of having a poor selection of apps in its app offering. PlayBook users can now make use of Android apps in the Android Market. They will no longer be limited to apps in the Blackberry App world.
Aside from being able to run Android apps, the Blackberry video store is also under development. This will offer 10,000 movies upon launch.
The PlayBook’s sales were less than promising. On the company’s earnings report, it was revealed that RIM’s earnings fell by 15% compared to last quarter’s earnings. According to the report, only 200,000 tablets were shipped to retailers. This means that Playbook sales may have been less.
With store shelves excessively packed with PlayBooks, does RIM have any strategy in mind to help make the tablets sell? According to Wall Street Journal, RIM will be dropping its tablet’s price just like what HP did with its discontinued TouchPad.
Will you be attracted to a much cheaper Android app-running Blackberry PlayBook, or would you rather look the other way? Give us your thoughts.
This is exactly what the playbook should have had at release. I already own one and am looking forward to the update.I am sure with proper advertising the sales numbers will leap forward as it is a good device otherwise.