Research In Motion says its new BlackBerry PlayBook tablet, which launches in the US and Canada next month (and is expected in the UK this summer), will also be able to run Android applications and BlackBerry Java apps.
Two optional ‘app players’ will be offered by RIM in a few months, enabling users to download and run BlackBerry Java apps and Android v2.3 apps from BlackBerry App World.
Developers will simply need to ‘repackage’ existing Android applications for BlackBerry App World.
Mike Lazaridis, President and co-CEO at Research In Motion, said “The BlackBerry PlayBook is an amazing tablet. The power that we have embedded creates one of the most compelling app experiences available in a mobile computing device today. The upcoming addition of BlackBerry Java and Android apps for the BlackBerry PlayBook on BlackBerry App World will provide our users with an even greater choice of apps and will also showcase the versatility of the platform.”
RIM’s annual results were also released today. A record 52.3 million BlackBerry smartphones were shipped, a 43% increase on the previous financial year.
[Annual results (pdf)]