Mobile Application and Cloud Strategies

Research In Motion (RIM) is getting ready for the upcoming release of its new OS BlackBerry 10 (BB10) by announcing a redesigned BlackBerry World app store featuring music and video content for the first time.

According to The Next Web, RIM recently changed the name of its app store from BlackBerry App World to BlackBerry World to signify its move to become “the one-stop shop for all of your mobile entertainment needs.” RIM’s new music service, BB Music, gives users access to the song collection at no cost for the first 30 days; following the first 30 days it will be priced at U.S.$4.99. The changes were immediately effective on the Web-based version, and changes will be rolled out to tablets and smartphones in the coming weeks. RIM is anticipating more than 70,000 apps in BlackBerry World when BB10 goes on sale on Feb. 1.

Yankee Group Principal Analyst Jason Armitage comments

“The wait for BlackBerry 10 has been a long one, but developers will find much to like with RIM’s new platform. Although RIM is not breaking new ground with these announcements, a single location for customers to access apps and entertainment will improve cross-marketing and increase app revenues. The real benefits lie in a platform that is easy to develop for and port existing apps to. Time-to-market for app projects will not hold back RIM’s challenge in the year ahead to confirm itself as the third mobile ecosystem.”